Why is Donald Trump demanding that Beyoncé be prosecuted?
He is alleging that Kamala Harris spent campaign money on celebrity endorsements – even if a previous investigation has found this claim to be false.
In a recent post on Truth Social, Trump has demanded that Beyoncé (and other celebrities) be prosecuted for campaigning for Harris during the 2024 presidential election.
Apparently still bruised from his lack of A-list talent support during the election, Trump wrote: 'I'm looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, 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 to be named for doing, absolutely NOTHING!'
He continued: '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. Can you imagine what would happen if politicians started paying for people to endorse them. All hell would break out! Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for your attention to this matter.'
Regarding Trump's claim, it is true that Harris' team spent funds on rallies and events, which featured celebrity endorsers like Beyoncé, Oprah and Lady Gaga.
However, the publicly shared financial records from the 2024 presidential campaign show that those expenses went toward production costs and staff, not to the celebrities themselves.
This was subsequently confirmed by a New York Times investigation published in November 2024.
Beyoncé publicly supported Harris last year and made a speech a rally on reproductive rights. She previously threatened Trump's campaign team with legal action for its unauthorized use of 'Freedom' in a social media video, days after the singer approved the song as the official anthem for Kamala Harris' presidential campaign.
At the time, Trump spoke dismissively about Beyoncé's appearance at a Harris rally in Houston, saying: "Beyoncé would come in. Everyone's expecting a couple of songs. There were no songs. There was no happiness.'
This year, Trump also called for a 'major investigation' into Bruce Springsteen after the music legend made several remarks criticising Trump at his Manchester show earlier this year.
Trump alleged that Springsteen was paid by Kamala Harris for his 'POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT' (posted online on Truth Social in all caps, naturally).
He went on to ask: 'ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION?'
In addition to Springsteen, Trump also took aim at other artists, including Bono and (once again) Beyoncé, during his rant: 'HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?. WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???
He carried on, escalating things: 'I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter. Candidates aren't allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the guise of paying for entertainment. In addition, this was a very expensive and desperate effort to artificially build up her sparse crowds. IT'S NOT LEGAL! For these unpatriotic 'entertainers,' this was just a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!'
This was followed up by a bizarre back and forth, in which Trump shared a fake clip on social media of him attacking The Boss with a golf ball.
The post drew heavy criticism and mockery online, with many posting 'reality shots' of Trump on the golf course, and others commenting on how 'this is not what a president does.'
Numerous musicians came to Springsteen's defence, including Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and veteran rocker Neil Young.
Elsewhere, South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker responded to the White House's reaction to their latest episode which mocked Trump, showing him in bed with Satan and depicting him as having a micro-penis.
Trump, not Satan.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said: 'Just like the creators of South Park, the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows. This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention.'
This led Parker to respond at Comic-Con International, with his trademark deadpan style: 'We're terribly sorry.'
They weren't.
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