Trump: Prosecute Beyoncé, Oprah For Campaign Payouts

Beyonce, Oprah

President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday, alleging that former Vice President Kamala Harris and celebrities including Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Rev. Al Sharpton should be prosecuted for what he claimed were illegal campaign finance violations during the 2024 presidential election.

Trump asserted that Harris’s campaign paid $11 million to Beyoncé, $3 million in “expenses” to Oprah, and $600,000 to Sharpton for endorsements, calling these payments “totally illegal” and improperly reported. He argued that paying for endorsements violates campaign finance laws and demanded legal action, stating, “Kamala and all of those who received Endorsement money BROKE THE LAW.”

However, The NY Post reports these claims lack evidence. Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show Harris’s campaign paid $165,000 to Beyoncé’s Parkwood Production Media LLC for event production, not an endorsement fee, with Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, denying any personal payment and confirming Beyoncé covered her own travel costs. 

Oprah’s Harpo Productions received $1 million for a Michigan town hall event, with Oprah stating she took no personal fee, only production costs were covered. Sharpton’s National Action Network received $500,000 for voter outreach, not an endorsement. The Harris campaign and its spokesperson, Adrienne Elrod, denied paying for endorsements, emphasizing payments were for event logistics, which are legal under FEC rules.

FEC regulations do not prohibit paying for endorsements, but campaigns must disclose such payments, and event-related expenses like production or travel are standard and permissible. 

No evidence supports Trump’s figures, particularly the $11 million claim for Beyoncé. A New York Times investigation confirmed that Harris campaign spending on rallies with celebrities like Beyoncé, Oprah, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry covered support staff and production, not direct payments to the celebrities.