Trump Calls for Major Investigation into Harris Campaign Over Celebrity Endorsements

President Donald Trump has called for a "major investigation" into former Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign, alleging that her team illegally paid high-profile celebrities—including Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Bono—for endorsements disguised as entertainment expenses. Trump made the demand in a series of posts on his Truth Social platform on May 19, 2025, accusing Harris of using campaign funds to buy support from world-famous artists in an effort to boost her campaign events.

Trump specifically questioned payments made to Springsteen, Beyoncé, and Oprah, suggesting these were not legitimate production expenses but rather direct compensation for public endorsements and performances at campaign rallies. He labeled the alleged actions as a "CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL method to exploit a flawed system" and called for federal authorities to investigate what he described as "illegal campaign donations".

Campaign finance records show that Harris’s campaign paid $1 million to Oprah Winfrey’s production company, Harpo, for a televised town hall, and $165,000 to Beyoncé’s production company for production costs at a campaign event. Both Winfrey and Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, have publicly denied that the celebrities themselves received any personal fees, stating the payments were strictly for event production costs. Harris campaign officials have also asserted that no artist or performer was paid a fee for their endorsement, emphasizing that all disbursements were properly reported as required by law.

Election law experts note that the Federal Election Commission (FEC) does not prohibit federal campaigns from paying celebrities or influencers for endorsements, provided such payments are transparently disclosed. An FEC spokesperson clarified that there are no specific rules against paid endorsements, so long as the campaign reports the purpose of the disbursement accurately.

Despite Trump’s calls for action, there is currently no official confirmation that the Department of Justice or any federal agency has launched a formal investigation into the Harris campaign. The Harris campaign has not yet issued an official response to the latest allegations.