In a move no one saw coming—and even fewer are buying—Hailey Bieber liked Taylor Swift’s celebratory post about finally securing ownership of her masters this past week. The post, which featured Swift standing triumphantly beside vinyl editions of her re-recorded albums, marked a major milestone in the pop icon’s long, painful journey to reclaim the rights to her music.

But while the music industry erupted in applause, one small tap from Hailey Bieber’s verified account sent the internet into a tailspin.

“Is this real?” asked one confused fan on X. “Isn’t this the same woman who mocked Taylor on TikTok and openly sided with Scooter Braun?”

Within minutes, screenshots of Hailey’s now-viral “like” circulated like wildfire, igniting a storm of backlash. For many die-hard Swifties, the gesture reeked of damage control, desperation, or worse—opportunism.

A Complicated History

To understand why fans are furious, you have to rewind the clock.

Back in 2019, Hailey Bieber (then newly married to Justin Bieber) publicly supported Scooter Braun during his controversial acquisition of Taylor Swift’s masters—an event that led Swift to call out Braun’s “incessant, manipulative bullying.” Hailey not only threw her support behind Braun but also liked and commented on posts mocking Swift’s emotional reaction to the takeover.

Then in 2023, Hailey and a friend shared a now-deleted TikTok that many interpreted as taking a dig at Taylor’s body and emotional performances. Though the clip lasted only seconds, its impact lasted years.

Now, in May 2025, Hailey’s quiet social media gesture has been met with open hostility.

“This is performative trash,” one fan wrote. “She’s just trying to ride Taylor’s coattails now that the whole industry supports her.”

Another fumed, “She had YEARS to make this right. But now that Taylor’s winning, she wants to be part of the narrative? No.”

Is Something Coming?

Even more eyebrow-raising than the timing of Hailey’s gesture is the sudden silence from her inner circle. Justin Bieber, usually quick to jump into online frenzies (especially involving Swift), has made no comment. Scooter Braun? Not a word.

Some fans and insiders suspect this could be the calm before a PR storm.

“There’s a reason she did this now,” said a former talent manager who requested anonymity. “It’s not random. There’s chatter in the industry that something’s about to break—maybe a tell-all, a documentary, or even a new lawsuit involving Scooter’s past deals.”

Swift’s masters saga is still unfolding. Her bold re-recording campaign not only shook the music industry but also changed the legal conversation around artist rights. Now, as Swift’s victory becomes a cultural symbol, former critics like Hailey may be scrambling to switch sides before the dust settles.

Fans Aren’t Buying It

On fan forums, the reaction has been unified: suspicion, skepticism, and rejection.

“She’s not forgiven. And a ‘like’ doesn’t fix years of cruelty,” wrote one Reddit user. “It feels like she’s trying to rewrite history before someone else does it for her.”

Another post pointed out the optics of it all: Hailey’s brand has suffered recently from waves of backlash, social media missteps, and public feuds. With Taylor’s popularity at an all-time high—buoyed by critical acclaim, political activism, and a massive Eras Tour—some believe Hailey’s move was strategically timed.

“She sees the writing on the wall,” said pop culture analyst Jordan Keller. “Taylor is no longer just a pop star. She’s a movement. And Hailey’s been on the wrong side of that movement for too long.”

Silence from Swift

As of now, Taylor Swift has not responded to Hailey’s social media gesture. There has been no like, no comment, no acknowledgment. And that silence may be louder than any post.

Whether this signals a genuine change of heart from Hailey or a well-crafted attempt at reputation repair remains to be seen.

But Swifties aren’t waiting around.

“Too little, too late,” one fan wrote. “This is Taylor’s moment. Hailey’s just background noise.”