U.S. President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack Monday against celebrities who backed Vice President Kamala Harris during her failed 2024 presidential campaign, claiming without evidence that pop icon Beyoncé was paid $11 million to endorse his rival.
In a fiery tirade on his Truth Social platform, Trump declared plans for “a major investigation” into what he alleged were illegal payments to high-profile entertainers — including Bruce Springsteen, Oprah Winfrey, and Bono — to secure their endorsements for Harris.
Trump, now six months into his second term in office after defeating Harris in the 2024 election, claimed the alleged payments amounted to unlawful campaign contributions.
For a Harris rally in late October, Trump alleged, “Beyoncé was paid $11,000,000 to walk onto a stage, quickly ENDORSE KAMALA, and walk off to loud booing for never having performed, NOT EVEN ONE SONG!” He added, “according to news reports”, though he did not provide any specific sources to support the claim.
At the rally in question, Harris had addressed the crowd, saying, “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother.”
Trump insisted the payments violated campaign finance laws. “Candidates aren’t allowed to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the guise of paying for entertainment,” he wrote.
During the campaign, Harris sought to amplify her message by leveraging support from celebrity figures such as Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Bruce Springsteen.
Winfrey, in response to public scrutiny, defended a $1 million payment made to her production company by the Harris campaign, stating it was to cover logistical costs for hosting Harris at a rally in September.
However, Harris’s team has categorically denied claims that Beyoncé received payment to appear at any campaign event. Financial disclosures from the campaign listed just one minor endorsement-related expenditure: $75 paid to an environmental advocacy group.
Trump also took aim at Springsteen, alleging he was paid to perform at a Georgia rally just weeks before the election.
“How much did Kamala Harris pay Bruce Springsteen for his poor performance during her campaign for president?” Trump asked in another Truth Social post. “Why did he accept that money if he is such a fan of hers?”
The renewed feud between Trump and Springsteen escalated after the rock legend recently told a British concert audience that the United States is now governed by a “corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration”. In response, Trump fired back, calling the 74-year-old artist “highly overrated”.
Springsteen has been a consistent and vocal critic of Trump and had backed Harris after she stepped in as the Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek re-election.
While Trump continues to enjoy strong backing from a niche of conservative, often hypermasculine influencers — such as podcast host Joe Rogan — his support among mainstream celebrities has remained limited.
As of now, no formal investigation into the alleged celebrity payments has been announced, and no verifiable evidence has been provided to substantiate Trump’s claims.
