Under increasing demands on the Trump administration to disclose theEpstein files- in contrast to disclosing documents about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server – the U.S. President is looking back at last year.
He is claiming that Kamala Harris used campaign funds forcelebrity endorsements– even if a prior inquiry has determined this statement to be untrue.
In a recent update on Truth Social, Trump has called for Beyoncé (and other stars) to face legal consequences for supporting Harris in the 2024 presidential race.
Apparently still sore from hisabsence of top-tier celebrity endorsementDuring the election, Trump stated: “I'm examining the significant amount of money that the Democrats owe following the Presidential Election, and the fact that they have admitted to paying, likely illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she didn't sing a single note and left the stage to a boisterous and upset audience!), Three Million Dollars for 'expenses' to Oprah, Six Hundred Thousand Dollars to a poorly rated TV 'anchor,' Al Sharpton (a complete lightweight!), and others for accomplishing absolutely nothing!”
He continued, "These absurd fees were wrongly listed in the books and records. YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT. IT IS COMPLETELY ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Can you picture what would occur if politicians began paying individuals to endorse them? Chaos would ensue! Kamala, along with everyone who accepted Endorsement money, VIOLATED THE LAW. They all deserve to be prosecuted! Thank you for your focus on this issue."
In reference to Trump's statement, it is accurate that Harris' campaign allocated resources to rallies and events that included celebrity supporters such as Beyoncé, Oprah, and Lady Gaga.
Nevertheless, the financial information released publicly for the 2024 presidential campaign indicates that these expenditures were directed toward production expenses and personnel, rather than the celebrities themselves.
This was later verified by aNew York Times investigation published in November 2024.
Beyoncé openly endorsed Harris last year andgave a speech at a gathering about reproductive rights. She had previously warned Trump's campaign team with legal action for itsImproper use of 'Freedom' in a social media clip, days following the singer's approval of the song as the official anthem forKamala Harris’ presidential campaign.
At the time, Trump talked in a dismissive manner about Beyoncé's looksAt a Harris event in Houston, he stated: "Beyoncé would have shown up. Everyone was hoping for a few songs. There were no songs. There was no joy."
This year, Trump also demanded a "significant inquiry" regarding Bruce Springsteenafter the music icon voiced several criticisms of Trump during his Manchester performance earlier this year.
Trump claimed that Springsteen received payment from Kamala Harris for his "POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN" (shared on Truth Social in uppercase, as expected).
He continued by asking, "ISN'T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION?"
Besides Springsteen, Trump also criticized other artists, such as Bono and (once more) Beyoncé, in his outburst: “HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS BAD PERFORMANCE DURING HER PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN? WHY DID HE TAKE THE MONEY IF HE IS SO FOND OF HER? ISN’T THAT A SERIOUS AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH DID OPRAH AND BONO GET???”
He continued, raising the stakes: "I am going to demand a significant inquiry into this issue. Candidates are not permitted to pay for ENDORSEMENTS, which is what Kamala did, under the pretense of paying for entertainment. Furthermore, this was a costly and desperate attempt to artificially boost her small crowds. IT'S NOT LEGAL! For these unpatriotic "entertainers," this was simply a CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL method to take advantage of a flawed system. Thank you for your attention to this matter!!!"
This was subsequently followed bya strange exchange a peculiar dialogue an odd conversation a weird back-and-forth a curious exchange a strange interaction an unusual discussion a quirky back and forth a baffling exchange a peculiar conversation, in which Trump posted a fabricated video on social media showing him hitting The Boss with a golf ball.
The article received significant backlash and ridicule on the internet, with numerous people sharing "real-life photos" of Trump on the golf course, while others remarked that "this is not what a president should do."
Many artists stood up in support of Springsteen, including Pearl Jam's lead singer Eddie Vedder and seasoned musician Neil Young.
In another instance, the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, commented on theReaction of the White House to their latest episodewhich ridiculed Trump, portraying him in bed with Satan and illustrating him with a tiny penis.
Trump, not Satan.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated, "Similar to the producers of South Park, the Left lacks genuine or innovative material, which is why their popularity keeps dropping to new lows. This program hasn't been significant for more than two decades and is barely surviving with unoriginal concepts in a last-ditch effort to gain notice."
This prompted Parker to comment at Comic-Con International, using his usual deadpan approach: "We're truly sorry."
They weren’t.