President Donald Trump has accused media icon Oprah Winfrey and music superstar Beyoncé of accepting millions of dollars from Democrats in exchange for their endorsements during the 2024 presidential election — a move he claims is illegal.
In a post on Truth Social Saturday evening, Trump alleged that Democrats paid Beyoncé $11 million to endorse Kamala Harris at a campaign rally without performing or delivering a full speech, and another $3 million to Oprah for “expenses.” He also claimed civil rights activist Al Sharpton received $600,000 “for doing absolutely NOTHING.”
“These ridiculous fees were incorrectly stated in the books and records,” Trump wrote. “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS TOTALLY ILLEGAL TO DO SO… Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”
Trump also suggested that the money was improperly reported and said he was “looking into” the payments, calling the situation “totally corrupt.”
While Trump provided no official documentation to support the $11 million claim, Federal Election Commission records reviewed by Newsweek do not show such a payment from the Harris campaign to Beyoncé. However, records do indicate that Harris’s team paid $165,000 to Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, on November 19 — several weeks after she appeared at a campaign rally in Houston.
At that event, Beyoncé told the crowd: “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother who cares deeply about the world our children live in.”
Neither the White House, the Harris campaign, nor representatives for Oprah or Beyoncé have responded to requests for comment.
Trump’s claims follow a series of posts in which he has scrutinized Democratic campaign spending and high-profile endorsements. The accusations also come amid broader GOP efforts to target celebrity influence in politics — especially as Democrats lean on star power to rally younger and minority voters.
Whether any formal investigation will be launched remains unclear. For now, Trump’s latest salvo has added a new layer of controversy to an already polarized post-election landscape.
