Trump Again Calls for Kamala Harris to Be Prosecuted Over Celebrity Endorsements
Former President Donald Trump has once again accused former Vice President Kamala Harris of illegally paying celebrities for endorsements during her presidential campaign — and this time, he says criminal charges should follow.
The explosive claim, made in a Truth Social post Saturday night, comes with no evidence and contradicts earlier denials by the celebrities named. It also arrives during a period when Trump himself faces mounting scrutiny over his historical ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
In the post, Trump alleged that Democrats “illegally” paid a total of $11 million to Beyoncé for an endorsement, claiming the singer “never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience.” He also cited payments of $3 million to Oprah Winfrey for “expenses,” and $600,000 to Rev. Al Sharpton, whom he referred to as “a total lightweight.”
“These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records,” Trump wrote. “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO… Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”
Despite the force of his accusations, Trump did not provide documentation to support the numbers he cited. The Harris campaign did not immediately respond to the latest claims, but it has previously denied paying for celebrity endorsements.
According to campaign finance law experts interviewed by ABC News in May, there is no federal ban on candidates paying for endorsements — as long as the transactions are disclosed properly. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) did not respond to a request for comment on Trump’s renewed allegations.
Records show that in 2024, Harris’ campaign paid $165,000 to Beyoncé’s production company for an appearance at a Houston rally, where the artist gave a speech but did not perform. The campaign also paid $1 million to Oprah Winfrey’s production company for a virtual event in Michigan.
Winfrey later stated she never received a personal payment for the appearance. “I did not take any personal fee,” she wrote in an Instagram comment, explaining that the money went to cover production costs. “End of story.”
Adrienne Elrod, a Harris campaign spokesperson, told Deadline in November that the campaign was responsible for “ancillary costs” associated with high-profile events. Additionally, the campaign made a $500,000 payment to Sharpton’s National Action Network ahead of an MSNBC interview with Harris.
Saturday’s social media rant is the latest in a string of high-profile outbursts from Trump. Since the Justice Department’s recent announcement that there is no “Epstein client list,” Trump has leveled accusations at several prominent figures — including President Barack Obama — and made headlines for claiming Coca-Cola altered its recipe in response to him and for calling on the Washington Commanders football team to change its name.
As Trump ramps up his public attacks, legal experts and campaign analysts are keeping a close eye on whether these kinds of statements will carry political consequences — or legal ones.
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