Donald Trump, former US President, has called for Beyoncé and several other high-profile celebrities to face prosecution for allegedly receiving illegal payments in support of Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign. On July 26, Trump raised these accusations in a post on Truth Social, where he claimed the Democratic Party improperly compensated celebrities for endorsements during the election cycle.
Details of alleged payments and Trump’s accusations
In his post, Trump alleged that Democrats owe a substantial amount of money for these supposed illegal endorsements. He wrote that approximately eleven million dollars were paid to Beyoncé for an endorsement, although she did not perform, and reportedly faced a hostile response from the audience. Additional amounts included three million dollars for Oprah and six hundred thousand dollars to TV host Al Sharpton, whom Trump described as a “total lightweight,” alongside payments to others he labeled as having done “absolutely NOTHING.”
Trump emphasized his claim by stating,
“These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records,”
and added,
“YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out! Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”
Campaign finance records and celebrity involvement in Harris’s campaign
Publicly available financial documents from the 2024 campaign verify that Kamala Harris’s team allocated significant funds for rallies and events featuring celebrity endorsers such as Beyoncé, Oprah, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry. However, investigative reports, including one by The New York Times published in November, clarified that these expenditures primarily covered support staff and production costs rather than direct payments to the celebrities themselves.
Beyoncé openly supported Harris in 2024, delivering a speech at a Rally on Reproductive Rights and granting permission for Harris to use the song “Freedom” from her 2016 album “Lemonade” as the campaign’s official anthem. Harris began using this song in public appearances starting in July, following President Joe Biden’s announcement that he would not seek re-election and would endorse Harris as the Democratic nominee.
Use of Beyoncé’s music and legal pushback against Trump’s campaign
Harris released her first campaign video set to “Freedom,” posing the question,
“What kind of country do we want to live in?”
before responding, “We choose freedom.” In response, Beyoncé sent a cease-and-desist letter to Trump’s campaign in August aiming to prevent them from using the same song.
Trump’s broader criticism of musicians endorsing Harris
Earlier, Trump urged a comprehensive investigation into Bruce Springsteen and other artists who supported Harris during the campaign. Springsteen, a longstanding critic of Trump, had delivered several pointed speeches against the former President, denouncing what he called corruption and incompetence within the administration.
Springsteen endorsed Kamala Harris publicly in the previous November’s election, performed at one of her rallies, and described Trump as “mentally ill.” After the election, he opened a show with a “fighting prayer” for the country amid Trump’s victory.
South Park creators respond to White House criticism of Trump satire
In a related cultural development, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, creators of the animated series South Park, responded to the White House’s harsh reaction following the release of their latest episode, “Sermon On The Mount,” on July 23. The episode, marking the show’s first in two years, included sharp satire of Donald Trump, depicting him with exaggerated features and in controversial scenarios.
The episode portrayed Trump with his actual photo on an animated body and included jokes about Canadian tariffs and the recent cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, adding to the ongoing public discourse surrounding Trump and his administration.
Implications and ongoing tensions surrounding celebrity political endorsements
Trump’s accusations against Beyoncé, Harris, and other figures highlight the increasing scrutiny of financial practices within political campaigns, especially regarding the role and compensation of celebrity endorsements. While official investigations or legal actions have not yet been confirmed, these demands reflect deep political and cultural tensions that continue to shape the 2024 election environment.
As campaigns ramp up, questions about the legality and ethics of campaign spending, especially concerning high-profile entertainers, are likely to attract further attention from both supporters and critics, with potential implications for election regulations and celebrity involvement in politics.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why did Beyoncé change her name?
A. Beyoncé has not legally altered her name. She continues to be publicly recognized as Beyoncé Knowles, even after marrying Jay-Z.
Q. Shakira and Beyoncé have both admired each other and been friends for decades. Both of them? Music legends, pop culture icons, talented, intelligent, thoughtful, respectful, busy.
A. Are Shakira and Beyoncé friends?
Shakira and Beyoncé worked together on the song “Beautiful Liar” in 2007. They seemed to have a good professional relationship during that time. However, it is not clear how close they are personally beyond their collaboration.
Q. Why has Beyoncé changed her name?
A. When Beyoncé married Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, in 2008, she changed her name to Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Since then, she has used her married name in her music career.
Q. Why did people unfollow Beyoncé?
A. Beyoncé often attended P. Diddy’s parties, and many people online think she might have known what was happening there. This caused some social media users to share conspiracy theories, using J. Cole’s song “She Knows” to highlight their ideas. As a result, some of her fans decided to unfollow her on different social media sites.
