Trump demands Beyonce be prosecuted over fake payment claims
In posts on his social media, Trump claimed that Beyonce was paid $11 million (9.4 million) for endorsing Harris at a campaign event in Houston in October 2024. Trump also took aim at talk show host Oprah Winfrey and civil rights activist Al Sharpton, claiming that the Harris campaign broke the law by paying for celebrity endorsements and demanding all those involved be prosecuted.
'Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them,' Trump wrote on Truth Social.
'All hell would break out! Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!'
However, there is no evidence to support the claim that Beyonce herself received any payment related to the Harris campaign. There is also no U.S. law barring a campaign from paying for endorsements, provided that expenditures are publicly disclosed.
According to federal campaign spending records, the Harris campaign did pay $165,000 (141,000) to Parkwood Entertainment, Beyonce's production company, for a campaign event production expense. A Harris campaign spokesperson told Deadline in 2024 that while they were required by law to cover costs connected to celebrity appearances, they did not pay the celebrities for their endorsements.
Despite thorough investigation by media sources and fact-checkers, no evidence has ever been produced to support the claim of an eight-figure endorsement payment.
In a February interview with right-wing TV personality Mark Levin, Trump vaguely described his source on the number, saying, 'Somebody just showed me something. They gave her $11 million… [for] an endorsement, I guess, because she didn't sing.'
Claims that Beyonce was paid $10 million for her speech at the Houston rally circulated on social media shortly after the event, which were also disproven by fact-checkers. Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother, took to Instagram in November to call the allegation a 'lie.'
'When In Fact: Beyonce did not receive a penny for speaking at a Presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harriss (sic) Rally in Houston,' Knowles wrote.
Beyonce's publicist, Yvette Noel-Schure, told fact-checking website PolitiFact in November that the endorsement payment claim 'is beyond ridiculous.'
In May, Trump threatened to launch an investigation into celebrity appearances at Harris's campaign events, naming Beyonce and Oprah as well as Bruce Springsteen and Bono as 'unpatriotic 'entertainers'' on social media. None of the celebrities who endorsed Trump during his presidential run including Kid Rock, Jason Aldean and the recently deceased Hulk Hogan have faced calls for investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Russia faces tariffs '10 days from today' if no progress on ending Ukraine war
US President Donald Trump has said that the United States would start imposing tariffs and other measures on Russia "10 days from today" if Moscow showed no progress toward ending its more than three-year-long war in Ukraine. Mr Trump first announced on Monday that he was shortening the initial 50-day deadline he set a month ago for action from Moscow, and mentioned a new deadline of 10 to 12 days. He told reporters on board Air Force One he had not heard a response from Russia. Mr Trump said he was not worried about the potential impact of Russian sanctions on the oil market or prices, vowing to boost domestic oil production to offset any impact. "I don't know if it's going to affect Russia, because (Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to, obviously, probably keep the war going," Mr Trump said. "But we're going to put on tariffs and the various things that you put on." The US president, who has in the past spoken about having a good relationship with Mr Putin, has grown increasingly frustrated with Moscow's refusal to agree to a ceasefire. The fresh deadline suggests Mr Trump is prepared to move forward on his threat of sanctions, after previously hesitating on doing so. Speaking in Scotland yesterday, he threatened sanctions on both Russia and buyers of its exports - also known as secondary sanctions - unless progress is made. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told reporters that he raised the issue of secondary sanctions with Chinese officials during two days of bilateral talks this week. He said he told Chinese officials that Beijing could face high tariffs if it continued its Russian oil purchases. In a post on X, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, a close ally of Mr Putin, said Mr Trump was playing "a game of ultimatums" that could lead to a war involving the United States. Mr Trump, who is also struggling to achieve a peace deal in Gaza, has touted his role in ending conflicts between India and Pakistan as well as Rwanda and Congo. Before returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump campaigned on a promise to end Russia's conflict with Ukraine in a day.
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Hollyoaks star reveals he's engaged to girlfriend after getting down on one knee in Ibiza
HOLLYOAKS fans had a reason to celebrate with fan favourite David Tag announcing he had proposed to his girlfriend. The actor, who played Sylver McQueen on the soap until 2022, shared he had taken his girlfriend to Ibiza for a getaway before getting down on one knee. 6 David proposed to his longtime love at sunset in Ibiza Credit: Instagram / davidtagofficial 6 The couple have been together since 2019 Credit: Instagram / davidtagofficial 6 Sylver McQueen was a fan favourite during his run from 2018 to 2022 Credit: Channel4 Taking girlfriend Abi Harrison to a lookout spot at sunset, David made her turnaround to look at the view before dropping to his knee behind her. Noticing something was up, Abi turned around and immediately said yes, with the pair embracing as the sun went down. In a collection of photos on Instagram, David shared the happy moment, as well as a look at the square-cut diamond ring as they celebrated. He wrote alongside the pic: "This years Ibiza turned out to be a bit more eventful than normal." READ MORE HOLLYOAKS Friends and fans alike were quick to swarm the pair with celebratory messages, congratulating them on their upcoming nuptials. James Sutton, who plays John-Paul McQueen, led the celebrations with a simple: "YESSSSSS!!!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️" Isabelle Smith, who plays Frankie Osbourne, added: "congratulations !!! ❤️❤️❤️" "Congratulations both of you! Amazing news ❤️," added another follower, while a fourth wrote: "About time lad 🤣 congratulations 🥳" Most read in TV Abi and David have been together since 2019, with the couple going on to have two children together over the past six years. The pair had been together less than a year when they decided to move in together due to the Covid lockdown. Hollyoaks' David Tag reveals he's opening his own gym after struggling to find work after being killed off soap- Their first baby boy, Reuben, was born in 2021, with the couple welcoming their second child - another boy named Kaspar - in 2023. David joined Hollyoaks in 2018 as Sylver, part of the ever-growing McQueen family. The adopted brother of Goldie McQueen, he arrived in Chester having spent 18 years in prison after being accused of murdering Goldie's abusive biological father. He went on to marry cousin Mercedes McQueen in 2019, and later killed his adoptive mother Breda – who turned out to be a serial killer. In the four years he lived in the Hollyoaks village, Sylver found himself consistently in tricky situations: discovering he had a daughter, who later tried to make Mercedes look mentally unwell in order to gain his affection, ending up in a coma when that went wrong, before eventually dying in a building collapse. Since leaving the show, David has launched his own fitness business and appearing in indie flick, Departures. 6 Abi was proposed to with a stunning square cut diamond ring Credit: Instagram / davidtagofficial 6 The sweet moment was caught on camera Credit: Instagram / davidtagofficial 6 David left Hollyoaks in 2022 as part of a dramatic building collapse Credit: ITV
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
RuPaul's Drag Race UK star Pixie Polite ‘punched in head' in ‘homophobic assault' at Tesco as cops launch probe
RU PAUL'S Drag Race star Pixie Polite has been "punched in the head" in a "homophobic assault" at a Tesco in London. Cops have launched an urgent probe after Pixie, whose real name is Mark Wickens, was reportedly assaulted by a man inside the store on Monday night. 2 Mark Wickens, known on-stage as Pixie Polite, told fans about the alleged assault on Instagram 2 Cops are treating the incident as a 'hate crime' Pixie, who came fifth in the fourth season of Posting about the assault on Instagram, the 32-year-old said the incident "evolved from general comments and mocking, into verbal homophobic abuse, then into violence". The Met Police has since launched an urgent investigation into the assault, which is being treated as a "hate crime". Cops have also appealed for information about the incident and have urged anyone with details to call 101 referencing CAD 5855/28JUL. A spokesperson said: "At 18:10hrs on Monday, 28 July officers responded to reports of assault and verbal abuse inside a shop on High Street Colliers Wood, Merton. "Police spoke with one victim, a person in their 30s. An investigation has been launched and the incident is being treated as a hate crime. "Enquiries are ongoing. At this stage no arrests have been made. "The victim is being supported by officers. We understand the impact this will have had on the LGBTQ+ community. Most read in The Sun "If you have any concerns please speak to a local police officer." No arrests have yet been made. The incident comes just months after The tragedy was announced by publicist Simon Jones, who paid tribute to the "incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person". Williams won the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, which aired in 2019. They went on to compete in an all-winners season of the franchise in the US in 2022 - the only Brit to do so. Williams also starred on BBC Three show
