As criticism across the Epstein recordsdata intensifies, President Donald Trump seems to be reaching for brand new methods to redirect public consideration—and this time, he’s turning to wild accusations in opposition to a few of America’s most well-known Black figures.
In a latest publish on Reality Social, Trump alleged—with out proof—that Beyoncé, Oprah Winfrey, Al Sharpton, and Vice President Kamala Harris have been illegally paid by the Democratic Social gathering for endorsements throughout previous campaigns. His declare? That Beyoncé was paid $11 million for merely showing on stage, which he adopted by accusing others of pocketing cash “for doing completely NOTHING.”
These claims come on the heels of Trump allies, together with Director of Nationwide Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, suggesting former President Barack Obama dedicated “treason”—one other baseless accusation that fell flat after bipartisan Senate experiences dismissed any wrongdoing.
Now, Trump appears to be escalating his rhetoric. In the identical publish, he requires authorized motion in opposition to these celebrities, claiming “YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY FOR AN ENDORSEMENT,” and suggesting the Democratic Social gathering has damaged federal legislation.
Nonetheless, official federal marketing campaign data and fact-checkers inform a distinct story. The Harris marketing campaign did pay Beyoncé’s manufacturing firm—however for manufacturing bills tied to a marketing campaign occasion, not for an endorsement. Related data present funds to Oprah’s and Sharpton’s organizations have been event-related and totally disclosed, with no proof of criminal activity.
Regardless of this, Trump continues to repeat the $11 million declare with no substantiation, saying solely that “any person confirmed me one thing.” Reality-checkers like PolitiFact and FactCheck.org have discovered no foundation for the figures he promotes.
Critics argue that Trump is deploying these accusations as a distraction from extra urgent authorized and political challenges—particularly, renewed public scrutiny across the Jeffrey Epstein case. As public consideration intensifies, significantly surrounding Epstein’s potential connections to high-profile figures, Trump’s unfounded accusations appear much less like real issues and extra like makes an attempt to muddy the dialog.
Whether or not the claims are a tactic or an indication of deteriorating judgment, they underscore the continued blurring of truth and fiction inside Trump’s political narrative—and the potential hazard of disinformation when wielded for distraction.
