Trump attacks ‘probably illegal' payment to Beyoncé over support for Kamala

Telegraph

27-07-2025

Donald Trump has called for Beyoncé's prosecution, accusing the singer of accepting millions of dollars to endorse the Democrats' 2024 campaign.
The US president claimed the superstar was among a number of celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey and activist Al Sharpton, to 'probably illegally' receive millions of dollars in exchange for their backing of Kamala Harris at last year's election.
There is no evidence that any of those named in the president's social media post were paid to endorse the Democratic campaign.
'I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the presidential election,' Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
'The fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, eleven million dollars [£8.2 million] to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!),' he added.
Mr Trump also claimed Ms Winfrey had received 3 million dollars and Mr Sharpton had been given 600,000 dollars in exchange for their support.
'Kamala, and all of those that received endorsement money, broke the law. They should all be prosecuted!' he added, writing in partial capitals.
Responding to the accusations, a spokesman for Obama said: 'These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction.'
The allegations come as Mr Trump raises a series of unfounded claims about the Democrats and pressure mounts on him to release more details about Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile and financier with whom Mr Trump was friends.
The Republican leader has been plagued by allegations that the White House is withholding information linked to the convicted paedophile, despite promises to release them to the public.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump hit out at Barack Obama, posting an AI-generated clip of the former US president being arrested in the Oval Office and claiming there had been Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
He also demanded the Washington NFL team change its name back to the 'Redskins', saying it was 'what our Indian people' wanted and that he would block its attempt to build a new stadium in the city if it did not.
The Harris campaign has previously denied that Beyoncé was paid for her endorsement, with Federal Commission records showing they gave her production company 165,000 dollars to cover costs.
Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother, said in November that the accusations being made against her daughter were a 'lie' and the singer had also covered the cost of flying her team to and from the 2024 event in Houston.
Writing on social media at the time, Ms Knowles said: 'Beyoncé did not receive a penny.'
The pop star appeared alongside the then vice-president at a campaign rally in Houston last October, where she spoke out in favour of reproductive rights and said it was 'time for America to sing a new song'.
Ms Winfrey has also hit back at accusations that she received money to endorse Ms Harris's political campaign, saying in November that she was not 'paid a dime'.
The television show host made a surprise speech at the Democratic National Convention in August 2024 before joining Ms Harris onstage at her 'Unite for America' event a month later.
Ms Harris's campaign team paid Ms Winfrey's production company 1 million dollars to cover the cost of the live-streamed rally.
Posting on social media at the time, Ms Winfrey said: 'My production company Harpo was asked to bring in set design, lights, cameras, microphones, crew, producers… to put on a live production. I did not take any personal fee.
'However, the people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.'
Shortly after levelling accusations at the talk show host, Mr Trump claimed several television networking companies were also 'political pawns of the Democrat party' and called for their licenses to be revoked.
He said: 'NBC is down in viewership almost 28 per cent this year… They are an arm of the Democrat party, and should be held accountable for that. Likewise, Fake News ABC!!!'
Mr Trump's comments came during a five-day trip to Scotland, during which he is visiting his golf courses and meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister, and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission.
The White House has played down the significance of the meeting with the prime minister, saying the two leaders are unlikely to announce any policy breakthroughs.
The meeting is instead being framed as a relationship-building opportunity before Mr Trump's official state visit in September.