Jessica Williams Defends Beyoncé: Donald Trump Is ‘Coming After All of Our Greatest Black People’

Donald Trump has been making headlines for his repeated attacks on Beyoncé, but comedian Jessica Williams has a theory as to why he keeps coming for the superstar: to distract from the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy.

On the Monday (July 28) episode of The Daily Show, Williams interrupted host Jon Stewart’s monologue to come to Bey’s defense following the president’s latest Truth Social post calling for her prosecution over debunked claims the singer illegally accepted money to endorse Kamala Harris in 2024. Trump also accused Oprah of taking bribes to support the Democratic candidate, and his administration recently released files detailing the FBI’s surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr. against the Civil Rights icon’s family’s wishes.

“Trump is trying to throw every Black person he can think of in front of the scandal to distract us,” Williams said in front of a green screen made to look like she was in Scotland, where the POTUS has been spending time to open a new golf course. “First, he released the Martin Luther King Jr. files. Then he accused Obama of treason. And now he wants to prosecute Oprah and Beyoncé? The nerve.”

“He’s coming after all of our greatest Black people,” the Emmy nominee continued. “Who’s next? Michael Jordan? Michael B. Jordan? Michael C. Jordan?” she continued. “We’re about a week away from him saying that Urkel did 9/11. Urkel? Did he do that?”

Both Williams and Stewart emphasized their belief that Trump’s objective in targeting stars such as Bey and Oprah is to pull focus away from mounting calls for his administration to release files investigating the crimes of Epstein. Many people suspect that the files will prove the twice-impeached politician previously visited the late sex offender’s private island, which served as the hub for Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation involving minors. Trump, however, insisted on Monday that he “never had the privilege” of going to the island during a press junket in Scotland.

Williams’ Daily Show appearance came one day after Trump wrote on Truth Social, “I’m looking at the large amount of money owed by the Democrats, after the Presidential Election, and the fact that they admit to paying, probably illegally, Eleven Million Dollars to singer Beyoncé for an ENDORSEMENT (she never sang, not one note, and left the stage to a booing and angry audience!) … all of those that received Endorsement money, BROKE THE LAW. They should all be prosecuted!”

It’s not the first time the president, who was convicted of 34 felonies in May 2024, has platformed debunked claims that Harris illegally gave campaign money to Beyoncé, who appeared at one of the former VP’s rallies in October. In March, he falsely accused both the 14-time Grammy winner and Bruce Springsteen of taking part in an “illegal election scam,” declaring on Truth Social, “For these unpatriotic ‘entertainers,’ this was just a CORRUPT & UNLAWFUL way to capitalize on a broken system.” 

Both Bey’s camp and Harris’ campaign have denied the allegation, and public finance records show that the vocalist received no money for her endorsement. Her Parkwood Entertainment company did accept a payment for the production costs of her appearance, but Harris was legally required to cover that fee.

Watch Williams defend Bey and Oprah during Stewart’s monologue above.