Trump calls for Kamala Harris, and the celebrities who endorsed her for president, to be prosecuted
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‘All hell would break out’: Trump to prosecute Beyonce, Oprah and Kamala Harris?
US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh controversy by calling for the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris and several prominent American celebrities. He claimed that Democrats paid celebrities millions of dollars in exchange for public endorsements of Harris. Trump alleged that Beyonce was paid $11 million to support Harris but never performed during a campaign event, leaving the stage to “a booing and angry audience.” He further claimed that Oprah Winfrey received $3 million in “expenses” and Reverend Al Sharpton was paid £600,000, despite doing “absolutely NOTHING” However, Trump showed no proof that the Democratic campaign paid them to endorse him.
In a late-night Truth Social post from Scotland, where Trump is on a five-day visit, he claimed that Democrats paid celebrities millions of dollars in exchange for public endorsements of Harris. Trump alleged that Beyonce was paid $11 million to support Harris but never performed during a campaign event, leaving the stage to “a booing and angry audience.” He further claimed that Oprah Winfrey received $3 million in “expenses” and Reverend Al Sharpton was paid $600,000, despite doing “absolutely NOTHING.” However, Trump showed no proof that the Democratic campaign paid them to endorse him.
In the past, Oprah denied receiving any payment for endorsing Harris, saying her team covered production costs for a live-streamed event, which totaled around $1 million. “The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were,” Oprah clarified. “End of story.”
Trump on his Truth Social wrote, “I’m looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!), Three Million Dollars for “expenses,” to Oprah, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to very low rated TV “anchor,” Al Sharpton (a total lightweight!), and others to be named for doing, absolutely NOTHING! These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records. 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
The accusations come as Trump faces criticism over his own handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Recently, The Hill reported that Trump dismissed ongoing investigations into Epstein as a politically motivated “con job” by Democrats designed to distract from his record.
Adding to the growing tension, Trump this week filed a $10 billion lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal (), its parent companies, and two journalists, following WSJ published what was allegedly a birthday letter from the president to Epstein.
The former president has a long history of clashing with media outlets and journalists. He previously threatened to sue several networks for what he called biased coverage, only to later strike lucrative settlement deals with ABC News and CBS News.
Trump’s bold move targets Beyoncé and 2 more
President Donald Trump has escalated his criticism of former Vice President Kamala Harris over alleged payments to celebrities during the 2024 presidential campaign. In a Saturday Truth Social post, Trump called for Harris to face charges alongside three prominent figures: Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey and Al Sharpton. Financial disclosures reveal that Harris’ campaign made significant payments to entities connected with the three celebrities. The president characterized the payments as fraudulent campaign finance violations that warrant immediate legal action. All three celebrities have previously endorsed Democratic presidential candidates in multiple election cycles, making their support of Harris consistent with their past political involvement. Federal election law prohibits certain types of payment arrangements but allows campaigns to cover legitimate expenses for events and appearances. The practice of covering appearance expenses while receiving unpaid endorsements has generally been considered acceptable under federal election law. The controversy reflects broader questions about celebrity involvement in political campaigns and the intersection of entertainment industry support with electoral politics as campaigns increasingly rely on celebrity support for their campaigns. The allegations come as Trump focuses on his electoral campaign practices despite his current focus on governing the United Kingdom.
In a Saturday Truth Social post, Trump called for Harris to face charges alongside three prominent figures: Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey and Al Sharpton. The president characterized the payments as fraudulent campaign finance violations that warrant immediate legal action.
The controversy stems from financial records showing substantial payments from Harris‘ campaign to production companies and organizations associated with the celebrities. These transactions have become a focal point for Trump’s ongoing criticism of his former electoral opponent.
Campaign payment details emerge
Financial disclosures reveal that Harris’ campaign made significant payments to entities connected with the three celebrities during the final months of the 2024 race. Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, received over $165,000 for her appearance at a Houston rally in late October.
Oprah Winfrey’s media company, Harpo Productions, was paid $1 million for organizing and producing a live-streamed campaign event featuring the media mogul. The payment covered production costs and technical expenses for the widely-viewed online appearance.
Al Sharpton’s National Action Network received $500,000 from the Harris campaign during the election cycle. The civil rights organization has historically supported Democratic candidates and causes.
All three celebrities have previously endorsed Democratic presidential candidates in multiple election cycles, making their support of Harris consistent with their past political involvement.
Trump’s allegations intensify
The president’s latest accusations represent an escalation of claims he has made since December 2024. In his Truth Social post, Trump alleged that politicians paying for endorsements constitutes illegal campaign activity that could destabilize the entire electoral system.
Trump provided specific dollar amounts in his social media criticism, claiming Harris paid $11 million to Beyoncé, $3 million to Oprah, and $600,000 to Sharpton. The source of these figures remains unclear, as they differ significantly from documented payment amounts.
The president’s post criticized the celebrities’ performances at campaign events, particularly noting that Beyoncé did not sing during her Houston appearance. Trump characterized the audience reaction as negative, though this description contradicts media reports from the event.
Celebrity responses and denials
The celebrities and their representatives have consistently denied receiving payment for their political endorsements. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, publicly rejected reports suggesting her daughter received millions for campaign appearances.
Oprah Winfrey has stated clearly that she received no personal compensation for her campaign involvement. The media executive explained that her production company was reimbursed for legitimate expenses related to organizing and producing the campaign event.
Representatives for Al Sharpton have not provided detailed responses to the payment allegations, though the civil rights leader has historically supported Democratic candidates without disclosed compensation.
Legal and political implications
Campaign finance law experts note that paying for celebrity appearances and production services differs significantly from paying for endorsements. Legitimate campaign expenses for events, production costs, and organizational fees fall within standard campaign finance practices.
The distinction between paying for services versus paying for endorsements becomes crucial in determining whether any legal violations occurred. Federal election law prohibits certain types of payment arrangements but allows campaigns to cover legitimate expenses for events and appearances.
Trump’s calls for prosecution represent a significant escalation in post-election political rhetoric. The president’s demands for criminal charges against his former opponent and prominent entertainment figures mark an unusual approach to campaign finance disputes.
Historical context and precedent
Political campaigns routinely pay for celebrity appearance costs, venue rentals, production services, and event organization. These expenses represent standard campaign operations rather than illegal endorsement payments.
Previous presidential campaigns have faced similar scrutiny over celebrity involvement and associated costs. The practice of covering appearance expenses while receiving unpaid endorsements has generally been considered acceptable under federal election law.
The current controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Trump and Harris following their 2024 electoral contest. Trump’s persistent criticism of his opponent’s campaign practices continues despite his electoral victory.
Moving forward
The allegations come as Trump focuses on his presidential agenda during a diplomatic visit to the United Kingdom. The timing of his social media posts suggests continued attention to 2024 campaign issues despite his current focus on governing.
Harris’ representatives have not responded to the latest round of accusations, maintaining their previous position that all payments were for legitimate campaign services rather than endorsement compensation.
The controversy reflects broader questions about celebrity involvement in political campaigns and the intersection of entertainment industry support with electoral politics. As political campaigns increasingly rely on celebrity endorsements and appearances, the financial arrangements behind these relationships continue drawing scrutiny from opponents and regulators alike.
Trump Calls for Prosecution Of Kamala Harris
President Donald Trump called for the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris and several prominent American celebrities. Trump alleged that Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign illegally paid millions of dollars for endorsements from figures including singer Beyoncé, television host Oprah Winfrey, and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton. Trump has not provided any direct proof to substantiate his claims that the Democratic campaign paid these individuals specifically for endorsements. The Harris campaign has previously denied that any payments were made in exchange for political support. Trump’S latest attack comes amidst increasing scrutiny over his own handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. He has previously dismissed investigations into Epstein as a politically motivated “con job” by Democrats, designed to distract from his performance.
Trump Calls for Prosecution of Kamala Harris, Celebrities Over Alleged Paid Endorsements in 2024 Election
Edinburgh, Scotland – July 27, 2025 – President Donald Trump, currently on a five-day visit to Scotland, launched a late-night social media tirade on Truth Social, demanding the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris and several prominent American celebrities. Trump alleged that Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign illegally paid millions of dollars for endorsements from figures including singer Beyoncé, television host Oprah Winfrey, and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton.
According to Trump’s claims, Beyoncé received “$11 million” for an endorsement, asserting that “she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!” He further alleged that Oprah Winfrey received “$3 million” for “expenses” and Reverend Al Sharpton was paid “$600,000,” despite Trump labeling him a “very low rated TV ‘anchor’ (a total lightweight!).” Trump stated, “These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records. YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO.” He concluded by calling for prosecution, writing, “Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”
However, Trump has not provided any direct proof to substantiate his claims that the Democratic campaign paid these individuals specifically for endorsements.
Oprah Winfrey has previously addressed similar accusations, stating in the past that she “was not paid a dime” to endorse Harris. She clarified that the Harris team did cover the production costs for a live-streamed event, which she said amounted to approximately $1 million. “The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story,” Oprah had explained.
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Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show the Harris campaign paid Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, $165,000 for her October appearance at a Houston rally. Such payments for event production are legally permissible under FEC rules, provided they are properly disclosed and are not classified as direct personal compensation for an endorsement. The Harris campaign has previously denied that any payments were made in exchange for political support. FEC rules state that candidates are required to pay the market value for any “ancillary costs” associated with such events. Additionally, reports indicate Harris’s campaign sent $500,000 to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network prior to an interview Sharpton conducted with Harris on MSNBC.
Trump’s latest attack comes amidst increasing scrutiny over his own handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. Trump has previously dismissed investigations into Epstein as a politically motivated “con job” by Democrats, designed to distract from his performance. He has also frequently threatened legal action against journalists and media organizations for what he perceives as hostile coverage. Recently, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal, and its parent companies, along with two journalists, following the publication of what was alleged to be a birthday letter from the President to Epstein. The Hill has also reported that Trump has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s grand jury testimony.
Trump Says Beyoncé, Oprah Took Illegal Payments for Kamala Harris Endorsements
Donald Trump took to Truth Social this week to rant about celebrities accepting campaign money. He said Beyoncé didn’t even perform, “not one note,” and left the stage to a “booing and angry audience” Trump’s rant could be more about distracting from his own legal heat, especially with recent headlines linking him to Epstein case files.
According to Trump, the Harris campaign paid $11 million to Beyoncé, $3 million to Oprah, and $600,000 to Sharpton for campaign “endorsements”—and he says it’s all illegal.
He claimed Beyoncé didn’t even perform, “not one note,” and left the stage to a “booing and angry audience.” Trump’s rant went on to say that those celebrities broke the law by accepting endorsement money and should be prosecuted.
Let’s be real—Trump’s post is loud but light on receipts.
• Public records show no $11 million payment to Beyoncé. Reports say her company was paid around $165K—most likely for production or event-related costs.
• Oprah’s team says she wasn’t paid to endorse Harris and that her production firm was only reimbursed for event expenses.
• As for Sharpton, there’s no confirmed $600K payout for endorsement purposes.
And legally? Federal campaign finance laws allow for production and event costs to be covered—what’s not allowed is direct payment for a public endorsement without reporting it properly. So far, no laws have been proven broken.
Trump’s rant could be more about distracting from his own legal heat—especially with recent headlines linking him to Epstein case files.
Still, Trump says Kamala, Beyoncé, Oprah, and Sharpton need to “face the consequences” for these so-called endorsement deals, even though no credible evidence supports his claims.
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Trump Calls For Kamala Harris To Be Prosecuted, Again Alleging She Paid For Celebrity Endorsements
The claim, for which he offered no evidence, previously has been denied by the celebrities. The Federal Election Commission has no rules against candidates paying for endorsements as long as they disclose them. It’s unclear how Trump got his numbers, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump has been on the attack since last month, when the Justice Department announced that his friend Jeffrey Epstein did not have a “client list,” even though Attorney General Pam Bondi said those documents were “itting on my desk’’ Trump has called for the Washington Commanders to change their name, claiming that Coca-Cola was changing its formula because of him and accused former President Barack Obama of “treason.’ “We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever.”
President Donald Trump again accused former Vice President Kamala Harris of paying celebrities to endorse her during the presidential race and said they all should be prosecuted.
The claim, for which he offered no evidence, previously has been denied by the celebrities and comes amid a flurry of accusations the president has made in the past few weeks as he faces scrutiny over his ties to the late sex offender financier Jeffrey Epstein.
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“I’m looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!), Three Million Dollars for ‘expenses,’ to Oprah, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to very low rated TV ‘anchor,’ Al Sharpton (a total lightweight!), and others to be named for doing, absolutely NOTHING!” Trump wrote Saturday night on Truth Social.
He continued: “These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records. 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! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
It’s unclear how Trump got his numbers, and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Harris campaign previously denied paying for endorsements. Even if she had, the Federal Election Commission has no rules against candidates paying for endorsements as long as they disclose them, campaign law experts told ABC News in May. The FEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the newest allegations from Trump.
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In 2024, Harris’ campaign paid Beyoncé’s production company $165,000 for her October appearance at a Houston rally, where Beyoncé did not sing but instead gave a speech in support of Harris. Harris’ campaign also paid $1 million to Oprah Winfrey’s production company for a livestream event Winfrey helped produce in Michigan.
Winfrey told paparazzi that she was “paid nothing, ever” for the event.
“I did not take any personal fee,” she later wrote in an Instagram comment. “However the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.”
Adrienne Elrod, a spokesperson for the Harris campaign, told Deadline in November that the campaign is required to pay “for any ancillary costs” associated with these events.
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Harris’ campaign also sent $500,000 to Sharpton’s National Action Network before Sharpton interviewed Harris on MSNBC.
Harris’ team did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Trump’s latest accusations.
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Trump has been on the attack since the start of the month, when the Justice Department announced that his former friend Epstein did not have a “client list,” even though Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year said those documents were “sitting on my desk” for review.
In that time, Trump has called for the Washington Commanders to change their name, claimed that Coca-Cola was changing its formula because of him and accused former President Barack Obama of treason.