US President Donald Trump has called for the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris, along with celebrities Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Reverend Al Sharpton, alleging they received illegal payments for endorsements during the 2024 presidential election.
In a fiery post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump claimed that Harris’ campaign had paid millions to the stars for their public support, payments he insists amounted to illegal endorsements.
“I’m looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats after the Presidential Election,” Trump wrote. “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.”
Trump expressed concern that if politicians were allowed to pay public figures for endorsements, it would “break out all hell.”
Harris, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2024, faced previous scrutiny for campaign payments tied to celebrity appearances. According to Federal Election Commission filings, her campaign paid Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment $165,000 for a rally held in Houston on 26 October. Oprah Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions, was paid $1 million for a livestream event in Michigan, and Sharpton’s National Action Network received $500,000.
However, Trump cited different figures in his latest post, without indicating the source of his claims.
“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,” Trump wrote. “They should all be prosecuted!”
The Harris campaign has previously denied any wrongdoing, insisting that payments made to Beyoncé’s company were for event production and not for a personal endorsement. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, publicly denied reports that her daughter was paid $11 million to speak at the event.
Winfrey has also pushed back against the allegations, stating she “was not paid a dime” and that any funds went solely towards covering production costs.
Sharpton, who has long been a political figure in Democratic circles, has not commented on the latest allegations.
Trump earlier accused Harris
This is not the first time Trump has made such claims. Last December, he accused the Harris campaign of paying $11 million, $2 million, and $500,000 to Beyoncé, Oprah, and Sharpton respectively, though the figures vary from those in his most recent post. In May, he reignited the issue, questioning whether other celebrities such as Bruce Springsteen and Bono had also been paid for their support of Harris.
Despite the accusations, there is no legal evidence to support the claim that the Harris campaign paid any individual directly for an endorsement. Campaigns are permitted to cover event and production costs under US election law, provided they are correctly disclosed.
Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign raised significant funds, $1.15 billion in direct contributions and $843 million in outside support, according to data from Open Secrets. In comparison, Trump’s campaign amassed $464 million in direct donations and $989 million from outside groups.
Trump’s Truth Social post comes during a four-day visit to the United Kingdom. The former president has continued to use his social media platform to attack political rivals and repeat allegations of misconduct, despite multiple legal challenges and investigations currently surrounding his own campaign activities.
The Harris team has yet to respond to Trump’s latest remarks.
