Critics have taken issue with mainstream media outlets after reports suggested that Beyoncé would perform at a Harris campaign event in Houston on Friday.
The event, however, featured the singer speaking to the crowd rather than performing, which disappointed fans who expected a musical appearance based on reporting by outlets like HuffPost, NBC News, MSNBC, Vanity Fair, and USA Today.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to former President Trump, criticized the media for potentially misleading the public.
“But she didn’t sing, disappointing all the people who came to see her (and not to see Harris.) Why did they lie? It couldn’t have been to build a crowd, could it,” he said.
Tim Murtaugh, another senior adviser, speculated that the promotional language was intended to boost attendance beyond the typical Harris campaign draw.
Beyoncé claimed she was at the event as a “mother” rather than an entertainer.
“I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother, a mother who cares deeply about the world my children, and all of our children, are living in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies,” Beyoncé said.
“My children and all of our children live in a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future, merge to meet us here. Imagine our daughters growing up, seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations.”
