Trump Revives Debunked Claim Against Beyoncé Amid Epstein Fallout

By The Inspirer Staff.

July 28, 2025__President Donald Trump is once again under fire for reviving a widely debunked claim that music icon Beyoncé was paid $11 million for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential campaign—a claim media outlets and fact-checkers have repeatedly disproved.

In a post over the weekend on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump accused the Democratic Party of illegally funneling campaign funds to celebrities, singling out Beyoncé for allegedly accepting a multimillion-dollar payment to appear at Harris’ October 2024 rally in Houston.

Trump wrote that Democrats “admit to paying, probably illegally, $11 million dollars to singer Beyoncé for an endorsement,” further alleging that the artist “never sang, not one note” at the event.

However, CNN and other media outlets have thoroughly debunked this claim. According to campaign finance records, the only documented payment related to the rally was a $165,000 reimbursement from the Harris campaign to Beyoncé’s production company, clearly labeled as a “campaign event production” expense. A Harris spokesperson told Deadline last year that celebrities were not paid for their endorsements due to campaign finance regulations, but the campaign was legally obligated to cover event-related costs, including production.

The rumor first gained traction on social media last year, spread by Trump supporters. Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, publicly denounced the claim in a viral Instagram post in November, stating that Beyoncé did not receive any money for her appearance and had personally covered the cost of flights, her team, and styling.

The post added that the misinformation not only defamed Beyoncé but also sought to discredit Vice President Harris.

Beyoncé, who allowed her 2016 song “Freedom” to be used as Harris’ campaign anthem, has not responded publicly to Trump’s renewed accusations. Representatives for the singer also declined Billboard’s recent request for comment.

Trump’s comments over the weekend extended beyond Beyoncé. He also made similar unsubstantiated allegations against Oprah Winfrey, civil rights leader Al Sharpton, Bruce Springsteen, and U2 frontman Bono, claiming—without evidence—that they too were paid by the Harris campaign for endorsements.

This is not the first time Trump has floated the idea of launching what he called a “major investigation” into celebrity endorsements during the 2024 election. Yet no such investigation has materialized, and no agency has confirmed its existence.

A New York Times investigation in November found that all payments made for celebrity campaign events went toward logistical costs—such as staff, security, staging, and travel—not to the celebrities themselves. Furthermore, CNN reported that the White House declined to provide any documentation supporting Trump’s claim of a Democratic admission of the $11 million payout.

Experts also point out that Trump’s assertion that such endorsement payments would be “TOTALLY ILLEGAL” is incorrect. There is no federal law that outright bans paying public figures for political endorsements, though all such transactions must be disclosed in campaign finance reports.

Trump’s barrage of accusations comes at a time of growing pressure within his own political base to address his long-rumored ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Last week, it emerged that Attorney General Pam Bondi had informed Trump in May that his name appears in recently sealed Epstein files—a revelation the White House has scrambled to manage, after reversing its position on releasing those documents.

Just days before his Beyoncé claims, Trump made another inflammatory accusation—this time aimed at former President Barack Obama, whom he accused of “criminal acts” and “treason” for investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. No evidence has been presented to support those charges.

With mounting legal and political challenges, Trump’s renewed focus on celebrity endorsements may be an attempt to divert public attention. But as fact-checkers, campaign finance experts, and media outlets continue to challenge the credibility of his statements, questions linger about how long such tactics can distract from the deeper controversies now facing the former president.