On Monday, Pastor Al Sharpton responded to claims from Donald Trump that he received payment for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign, emphasizing that he has not been paid for this support.
In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Sharpton firmly stated, “It’s definitely not,” when asked about the allegations.
He did clarify that his nonprofit organization, the National Action Network (NAN), has accepted donations from Harris’s campaign, a fact that he will be including in a Federal Election Commission (FEC) report.
However, he noted, “Both National Action Network and I supported her” genuinely.
Sharpton mentioned he is contemplating whether NAN’s legal team might file a lawsuit against Trump for defamation, recalling that the president has previously made accusations against him.
He added, “He learned this time he had no support and didn’t get any money. This was going to a nonprofit organization I’m connected to.”
Trump had claimed on his platform that Sharpton received $600,000 in support of Harris, asserting, “We are not allowed to pay for approval, and it is completely illegal to do so.”
He expressed concern about the implications of politicians paying for endorsements, saying, “All hell breaks out! Kamala, and all those who received the money in support, broke the law. They should all be prosecuted! Thank you for being careful about this issue.”
In response, Sharpton suggested that Trump’s accusations stem from deeper issues within his base concerning Trump’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein situation and hinted that it might be an attempt to divert attention.
“So last week he was overflowing the zone, trying to remove his pressure and bring the Magbass back together,” Sharpton remarked.
“It’s all about trying to pass Epstein,” he continued, explaining that their campaign work with NAN and other groups had always aimed to highlight important issues rather than outright support for candidates. He noted, “We accepted the file and released the Epstein Files.”
