Wilgens Sirise
On July 27, 2025, former President Donald Trump sparked major controversy online with a Truth Social post demanding the prosecution of Vice President Kamala Harris, Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Rev. Al Sharpton over what he described as **“totally illegal” payments for endorsements during the 2024 election campaign.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!According to Trump, Harris’s campaign allegedly paid Beyoncé $11 million, Oprah $3 million, and Sharpton $600,000 in exchange for their public endorsements — something he claims violates federal election laws.
“YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL,” Trump posted. “Kamala Harris and all those she paid for support should be prosecuted!”
🔍 What Actually Happened?
Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings show that Harris’s campaign did make large payments to companies tied to the celebrities:
$165,000 to Parkwood Entertainment (Beyoncé’s company) $1 million to Harpo Productions (Oprah’s company) $500,000 to National Action Network (Sharpton’s organization)
But campaign officials say these were not payments for endorsements — rather, they were event production costs tied to rallies, appearances, and advertising. They argue that all financial activity was disclosed publicly and complied with campaign finance rules.
Beyoncé’s team clarified that she was not paid to support Kamala Harris but that her company was compensated for production and event coordination. Oprah’s camp echoed that statement, saying Harpo was paid for the cost of staging and broadcasting campaign content, not for personal support.
⚖️ Is It Illegal?
Legal experts say that paying celebrities for production services is not illegal — as long as it’s not explicitly in exchange for an endorsement and is properly reported. Many campaigns contract with public figures or their companies for event appearances, creative work, and logistics. Unless there’s proof of quid-pro-quo payments, it’s not a crime.
“Trump is blurring the line between legal event expenses and illegal endorsement deals. There’s no evidence that any of these celebrities were paid just to say ‘vote for Harris,’” one campaign finance expert told The Daily Beast.
🎭 Distraction or Real Concern?
Critics believe Trump’s claims may be an effort to shift attention from growing pressure related to the Jeffrey Epstein list, which Trump continues to avoid addressing. Just days earlier, new documents tied Trump to multiple social events listed in Epstein’s records.
Some political analysts suggest this “endorsement outrage” is a calculated deflection, designed to stir his base and frame Harris as corrupt.
🔑 Summary:
Trump says: Harris illegally paid for celebrity endorsements. Campaign says: Payments were for production, not endorsements. Legal experts say: No evidence of crime if it was for services and reported. Critics say: This could be a political stunt to distract from Trump’s Epstein ties.
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