Trump Calls for Prosecution of Kamala Harris, Celebrities Over Alleged Paid Endorsements in 2024 Election
Edinburgh, Scotland – July 27, 2025 – President Donald Trump, currently on a five-day visit to Scotland, launched a late-night social media tirade on Truth Social, demanding the prosecution of former Vice President Kamala Harris and several prominent American celebrities. Trump alleged that Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign illegally paid millions of dollars for endorsements from figures including singer Beyoncé, television host Oprah Winfrey, and civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton.
According to Trump’s claims, Beyoncé received “$11 million” for an endorsement, asserting that “she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!” He further alleged that Oprah Winfrey received “$3 million” for “expenses” and Reverend Al Sharpton was paid “$600,000,” despite Trump labeling him a “very low rated TV ‘anchor’ (a total lightweight!).” Trump stated, “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.” He concluded by calling for prosecution, writing, “Kamala, and all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”
However, Trump has not provided any direct proof to substantiate his claims that the Democratic campaign paid these individuals specifically for endorsements.
Oprah Winfrey has previously addressed similar accusations, stating in the past that she “was not paid a dime” to endorse Harris. She clarified that the Harris team did cover the production costs for a live-streamed event, which she said amounted to approximately $1 million. “The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story,” Oprah had explained.
Federal Election Commission (FEC) records show the Harris campaign paid Beyoncé’s production company, Parkwood Entertainment, $165,000 for her October appearance at a Houston rally. Such payments for event production are legally permissible under FEC rules, provided they are properly disclosed and are not classified as direct personal compensation for an endorsement. The Harris campaign has previously denied that any payments were made in exchange for political support. FEC rules state that candidates are required to pay the market value for any “ancillary costs” associated with such events. Additionally, reports indicate Harris’s campaign sent $500,000 to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network prior to an interview Sharpton conducted with Harris on MSNBC.
Trump’s latest attack comes amidst increasing scrutiny over his own handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. Trump has previously dismissed investigations into Epstein as a politically motivated “con job” by Democrats, designed to distract from his performance. He has also frequently threatened legal action against journalists and media organizations for what he perceives as hostile coverage. Recently, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal, and its parent companies, along with two journalists, following the publication of what was alleged to be a birthday letter from the President to Epstein. The Hill has also reported that Trump has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s grand jury testimony.