Trump Calls for Beyoncé’s Prosecution over Alleged Pay-for-Endorsement Claims

## Trump’s Recent Allegations Against Celebrities

Donald Trump seems to be making a concerted effort to divert attention from the ongoing fallout surrounding the Epstein files. Recently, he has revived his unsubstantiated claims that celebrities like Beyoncé and Oprah Winfrey received illegal payments to endorse Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 election.

Trump took to Truth Social over the weekend, expressing his concerns about “a large amount of money owed by the Democrats.” He alleged that they paid a staggering Eleven Million Dollars to Beyoncé for an endorsement, claiming she did not perform and faced a booing audience. He also accused Oprah of receiving Three Million Dollars for “expenses” and pointed to Al Sharpton, whom he described as a “lightweight,” allegedly receiving Six Hundred Thousand Dollars.

### Repeated Claims and Lack of Evidence

This is not the first time Trump has brought up these specific accusations. Earlier in May, he called for a “major investigation,” asserting that payments made to celebrities for endorsements under the guise of entertainment violated campaign finance laws. He reiterated similar claims in his recent posts, stating that the “ridiculous fees” were improperly recorded.

Trump emphasized that if politicians began paying for endorsements, “all hell would break out!” He went on to declare that those involved, including Harris, had violated the law and should face prosecution.

### Clarifying the Legal Landscape

It’s important to note that Trump has yet to provide any concrete evidence to support his claims against Harris or the celebrities involved. Furthermore, while campaigns can pay celebrities for endorsements, such transactions must be disclosed. When involving celebrity appearances, campaigns must also cover fair-market production costs to remain compliant with federal contribution limits.

For instance, Beyoncé performed at a rally for Harris in Houston, and her company was compensated $165,000 for “campaign event production,” according to campaign finance records. This amount is significantly less than the $11 million Trump alleged. The inflated figure started circulating online soon after the Houston event, but Harris’ campaign swiftly debunked the claim.

### Understanding the Payments

Similarly, Oprah’s organization received $1 million for production and salaries related to a live-streamed town hall event in Detroit. This payment did not include a personal fee for Oprah, which notably falls short of Trump’s claim of $3 million.

Representatives for both Beyoncé and Oprah have not provided comments regarding these allegations. A spokesperson for Sharpton’s National Action Network stated, “There was unequivocally no violation. National Action Network never made an endorsement, and Rev. Al Sharpton never received anything.”

How do you feel about these allegations? Do you think they reflect larger political strategies at play?