Bono Hits Back at Trump’s "Illegal Campaign Contribution" Allegations
The frontman of Irish rock band U2, Bono, has responded to allegations made by US President Donald Trump that celebrities who supported Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign, including himself, made "illegal campaign contributions".
According to a report, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to lambast celebrities for their support of his Democratic rival during the 2024 election. As reported by The Independent, Trump specifically targeted Bono, Oprah, Beyoncé, and Bruce Springsteen, claiming that they had accepted "illegal campaign contributions" from Harris.
In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Bono jokingly responded to Trump’s allegations, saying that he was "in the company of Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, and Oprah — I play tambourine in that band". He added that U2 and he "never paid or played a show to support any candidate from any party".
The allegations made by Trump were widely reported, with many questioning the legitimacy of his claims. According to The Independent, Trump stated, "HOW MUCH DID KAMALA HARRIS PAY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN FOR HIS POOR PERFORMANCE DURING HER CAMPAIGN FOR PRESIDENT? 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???"
Bono also criticised Trump’s social media platform, describing it as "pretty antisocial and not very true a lot of the time". He also brought up the issue of Trump’s cuts to USAID and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, stating that members of his activism group, the "One Campaign", were "very very very angry with the person that they voted into office".
The "One Campaign" is a bipartisan group that includes evangelical conservatives, who are working to fight against HIV/AIDS and extreme poverty. Bono warned that the cuts to USAID and PEPFAR would have a devastating impact on HIV/AIDs research, stating, "They are not happy, and there will be trouble".
As reported by The Independent, Bono has been on a media blitz recently to promote his documentary and memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. The documentary follows his book tour, which coincided with the release of his memoir in 2022 and 2023.
The allegations made by Trump have sparked a heated debate about campaign finance laws and the role of celebrities in politics. While some have defended Trump’s right to free speech, others have criticised his claims as baseless and unfounded.
In conclusion, Bono’s response to Trump’s allegations highlights the ongoing debate about the intersection of politics and celebrity culture. As reported by The Independent, the issue remains a contentious one, with many questioning the legitimacy of Trump’s claims and the impact of celebrity endorsements on political campaigns.
Sources:
The Independent: "Bono hits back at Trump’s ‘illegal campaign contribution’ allegations".
