Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign spent significantly more than initially reported on a live-streamed event with Oprah Winfrey, according to new disclosures. .
The event, held in September, cost Harris nearly $2.5 million for production services provided by Winfrey’s company, Harpo Productions, contradicting earlier reports that suggested the fee was only $1 million.
The “United for America” event, which took place in Detroit, Michigan, was a pivotal moment during Harris’ brief presidential run. Harris had launched her campaign in late July following Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race, only to see it end in a crushing defeat to Republican candidate Donald Trump.
In addition to paying Harpo Productions, Harris’ campaign racked up considerable expenses, including celebrity appearances and influencer partnerships. The campaign burned through an eye-watering $100 million per week in its final push, adding to its already significant financial challenges. The Democratic Party was left with a $20 million debt after Harris’ campaign, which spent nearly $1.8 billion in total.
The “United for America” event was promoted as a virtual town hall and attracted over 1.2 million views in just 12 hours. The event featured Oprah Winfrey interviewing Harris on hot-button issues like immigration and abortion rights. Celebrity appearances included Meryl Streep, Chris Rock, Ben Stiller, and Julia Roberts.
Despite earlier reports, Winfrey did not personally receive payment for her role. According to a spokesperson for Harpo Productions, the campaign paid only for the production costs, which included set design, lighting, crew, and other necessary items for the live-streamed event.
Winfrey clarified on social media that she did not receive a personal fee for the event but instead paid her team and covered the production costs. “I did not take any personal fee,” Winfrey wrote on Instagram. “The people who worked on that production needed to be paid. And were. End of story.”
Beyond Winfrey, Harris’ campaign also spent millions on other high-profile celebrity performances. Artists such as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Bruce Springsteen, and Megan Thee Stallion were involved in campaign events, raising questions about the effectiveness and impact of such celebrity endorsements, especially given Trump’s more modest campaign spending.
The Democratic campaign and affiliated outside groups spent nearly $1.8 billion, while Trump’s campaign and its supporters spent around $1.4 billion, highlighting the stark contrast in spending between the two campaigns.