Why is Trump targeting Beyoncé?
What's the story
American President Donald Trump has called for the prosecution of pop icon Beyoncé, based on a claim that she was paid $11 million for endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in 2024. The allegation, which Trump shared on social media over the weekend, is not supported by any evidence or federal campaign spending records. So, what is Trump exactly accusing the singer of, and why?
Discrepancy
The actual payment from the Harris campaign to Beyoncé
According to CNN, Harris's campaign spending reports show a payment of $1,65,000 to Beyoncé's production company listed under "campaign event production." This payment is far less than the alleged $11 million. The Harris campaign had previously stated they didn't pay celebrity endorsers but were legally obligated to cover costs related to their appearances. Other verified payments include $1 million to Oprah Winfrey's production company for a live stream event and $5,00,000 to Sharpton's National Action Network.
Denial
What Tina Knowles and Beyoncé's rep said
Before Trump fired his guns at the celebrated artist, rumors about a $10 million endorsement payout spread last year. Tina Knowles, Beyoncé's mother, refuted the $10 million payment claim in a November social media post. She called it a "lie" and said it was taken down by Instagram as "False Information." A spokesperson for Beyoncé also told PolitiFact in November that the claim about a $10 million payment is "beyond ridiculous."
Allegations
Trump revived false claim in social media post
Trump revived the false claim in a social media post early Sunday morning from Scotland, where he is currently visiting. He alleged that Democrats "admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyonce for an ENDORSEMENT." He also criticized other payments from the Harris campaign to organizations linked with prominent endorsers and incorrectly claimed it is "TOTALLY ILLEGAL" to pay for political endorsements. With this, the US President has successfully managed to rattle both political and entertainment worlds.