Trump Comments On Harris Campaign Debt
Finger-pointing and recriminations have erupted within the Democratic Party following Vice President Kamala Harris's crushing loss to President-elect Donald Trump. At the center of the controversy: a series of last-minute campaign concerts that reportedly drained up to $20 million from the Harris campaign's budget, which was already stretched thin just before Election Day. Insiders are now raising concerns that the ill-fated events could leave everyday campaign workers and vendors unpaid, as the campaign faces a debt reported to be as high as $20 million.
The seven concerts held in swing states, featuring big-name performers like Jon Bon Jovi, Christina Aguilera, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and 2 Chainz, were part of a get-out-the-vote strategy devised by campaign advisor Stephanie Cutter. Sources told The Post that the events were intended to energize lower-propensity voters but ended up being a logistical and financial burden. With performers donating their time, the campaign expected costs to be minimal, but production expenses soared, especially when several shows were organized at the last minute. One planned performance by Alanis Morissette was canceled two days prior to save money.
The decision to host these concerts divided the Harris campaign team. While Cutter and former Obama strategist David Plouffe advocated for the concerts, Harris-Walz campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon reportedly hesitated, ultimately green-lighting the events under pressure but admitting later to colleagues that she’d had doubts. “Putting [concerts] together last minute makes [them] cost twice as much,” a campaign source remarked, attributing some of the financial fallout to the late-stage planning.
Canadian Alanis Morissette had to cancel giving her support to Kamala Harris because the check would not clear.
Isn’t that ironic. pic.twitter.com/Fcvmrq9euy— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) November 10, 2024
Even as the concerts were scaled down, other campaign expenses continued to raise eyebrows. One notable splurge was a six-figure set for Harris's appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, which underperformed significantly, failing to reach even a million views. In contrast, Trump’s appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast days later received over 47 million views, underscoring the sharp difference in engagement.
Campaign insiders and supporters, including high-profile fundraiser Lindy Li, expressed frustration over the apparent mismanagement of funds. “This is a $1 billion disaster,” Li told Fox & Friends Weekend. She and other donors had backed the campaign under the impression it was a “margin of error race,” and they’re now grappling with disappointment—and questions from donors—after what Li called an “epic disaster.”
Meanwhile, Trump himself has made a spectacle of the situation. In a post on his social media platform, Truth, he suggested that Republicans help “bail out” the Harris campaign as an ironic gesture of “unity,” given the campaign’s financial troubles. “Whatever we can do to help them during this difficult period, I would strongly recommend we, as a Party and for the sake of desperately needed UNITY, do,” he wrote, making clear he was poking fun at Democrats’ predicament.
Observers are left questioning how the Harris campaign’s massive $1 billion war chest could be drained so quickly and with so few returns. Despite the big spending, Trump swept all battleground states and won the popular vote, suggesting that the Democrats’ strategy may have misfired by focusing on star power over substance. A source close to the Harris campaign conceded, “It didn’t matter to have a bunch of celebrities talking to no one,” especially when economic issues like inflation and high interest rates were top-of-mind for many voters.
While staff payments remain intact, reimbursements and vendor payments are reportedly delayed, and concerns are mounting as the campaign finance team scrambles to balance the books. Donation pages for the campaign are still active, aiming to close the $20 million gap, but it’s unclear if those funds will come in quickly enough to address outstanding debts.