The U.S president called formajor investigation into Harris campaign over celebrity endorsements and costly performances.
On social media, many viewers were stunned as Trump called for a ‘major investigation’ into Harris’s campaign over celebrity endorsements on his platform.
Trump demanded probe into Harris’s celebrity endorsements.
President Donald Trump called early Monday for a major investigation into former Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
In his social media platform, Trump accused Harris of breaking the law by paying top-tier artists to perform at rallies and endorse her candidacy.
Trump specifically mentioned stars like Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, and Bono in his tirade on Truth Social.
Additionally, he questioned how much Harris paid these celebrities.
Trump also suggested their payments might be illegal campaign contributions.
He wrote:
“HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT?” the president asked in an all-caps tirade on his Truth Social.
“WHY DID HE ACCEPT THAT MONEY IF HE IS SUCH A FAN OF HERS? ISN’T THAT A MAJOR AND ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION? WHAT ABOUT BEYONCÉ? …AND HOW MUCH WENT TO OPRAH, AND BONO???”
“I am going to call for a major investigation into this matter,” Trump said, calling it “a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system.”
Kamala Harris’s celebrity-filled campaign events
Previously, Kamala Harris’s celebrity-filled campaign events included performances by Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, and other stars
Harris’s campaign was marked by high-profile celebrity support from the start of her run in July 2024.
A-list endorsers such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, LeBron James, George Clooney, and Taylor Swift backed her publicly.
Musical guests performed at multiple rallies, aiming to energize low-turnout voters.
Notable performers included Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Megan Thee Stallion, Jon Bon Jovi, 2 Chainz, Mumford & Sons, and Bruce Springsteen.
Springsteen performed at an October rally at Temple University, which also featured former President Barack Obama.
Beyoncé appeared in Houston alongside Harris but did not sing, which frustrated some fans.
Trump claims Harris’s concerts were illegal crowd boosters
Trump slammed the concerts as a “very expensive and desperate effort” to artificially increase rally attendance.
He argued such spending violated federal campaign finance laws.
“This was a very expensive and desperate effort to artificially build up her sparse crowds. IT’S NOT LEGAL!” Trump said in his early morning post..
“For these unpatriotic ‘entertainers,’ this was just a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system,” Trump added.
On election eve, Harris appeared with Oprah Winfrey at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, drawing more star power to her campaign.
Reports later revealed the campaign spent nearly \$20 million on a series of election eve concerts in key swing states.
Though performers donated their time, costs for staging, production, and labor were significant.
FEC rules require fair payment for concert costs
Federal Election Commission (FEC) rules mandate that campaigns cover “fair market value” for any ancillary costs related to performances.
This includes wages for band members, producers, and event staff.
Harris’s campaign hosted seven election eve concerts featuring Bon Jovi (Detroit), Aguilera (Las Vegas), Perry (Pittsburgh), Lady Gaga (Philadelphia), and 2 Chainz (Atlanta).
An eighth planned performance by Alanis Morissette was canceled to reduce expenses shortly before the election.