U.S. President Donald Trump accused singer Beyoncé and talk show host Oprah Winfrey of receiving large sums in exchange for politically supporting the Democratic Party and called for their prosecution. He emphasized that former Vice President Kamala Harris, his competitor, funneled millions of dollars to them during the 2024 presidential campaign to gain their support, highlighting this as a violation of campaign finance laws.
On the 27th (local time), Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social that "Beyoncé took the stage for $11 million from Harris but left amidst boos without singing a single song," declaring it "an illegal political transaction." He also claimed that $3 million was paid to Oprah and $600,000 to civil rights activist Al Sharpton, asserting that "all of them are targets for prosecution."
In response, the Harris camp argued that the expenditures were merely for production and event operating costs and that no money was given directly to the entertainers. According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, $165,000 was paid to the producer for Beyoncé, and $1 million to Harpo Studios owned by Oprah, officially classified as event operation costs for stage, lighting, and filming.
Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, stated, "Beyoncé did not receive a single penny," and Oprah also clarified that "there was no personal payment."
This statement reflects a broader sentiment from conservatives regarding dissatisfaction with American culture, going beyond a simple political attack. Indeed, American conservative commentator Ben Shapiro has argued for years that "Hollywood has become a propaganda tool for progressive ideology." He criticized even the public broadcasting service PBS's flagship program, Sesame Street, for emphasizing LGBTQ issues and racial politics, claiming that the politicalization of children is underway.
Additionally, series and films produced by major streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney+ increasingly feature transgender or non-heteronormative characters as protagonists. The right-wing has consistently raised claims that the "LGBTQ agenda has infiltrated Hollywood."
Trump himself is no stranger to conflicts with the cultural world. During last year's election, he suffered a public backlash when singer Taylor Swift supported the Harris camp, leading him to simultaneously criticize Swift and the Democratic Party on social media. Recently, figures such as Bruce Springsteen and Bono have also argued for prosecution over "reciprocal promotion" for the Democratic camp.
However, there is no clear legal basis for these claims. Major media outlets, including The New York Times, CNN, and Reuters, pointed out that Trump's comments are largely exaggerated or factually incorrect. Nonetheless, the conservative concern that the cultural sector is skewed towards a particular side cannot be ignored. Instances of famous entertainers declaring support for the Democratic candidate during election periods have been repeated, leading Republican supporters to criticize that "ideological bias has deeply infiltrated popular culture." Some analysts suggest that Trump's claims reflect this dissatisfaction and the political divide.
Meanwhile, Trump labeled major broadcasters like NBC and ABC as the Democratic Party's "political puppets" and argued that their broadcast licenses should be revoked. In response, Brian Stelter, a CNN media expert, described this as "a threat to press and expression freedoms," warning that it could lead to even more authoritarian measures in the future.
As Democratic figures and cultural insiders strongly oppose Trump's prosecution of entertainers and moves to revoke media licenses, there is a rising tide of criticism from the conservative side claiming that "American-style freedom of expression is only permitted for progressives."