Harris’ Hollywood pals radio silent after Trump victory — they can’t ‘afford’ to lose fans: expert
It’s been a week since Donald Trump declared victory over Vice President Harris in the 2024 presidential election. While many celebrities have shared their thoughts on the president-elect, some have seemingly remained notably silent.
In the weeks leading up to the election, stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, George Clooney, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Leonardo DiCaprio and more vocalized their support for Harris and encouraged fans to get out and vote.
However, since Trump’s victory, the radio silence from these particular stars actually speaks volumes, says PR expert Doug Eldridge.
“There’s a variety of reasons why that might be the case,” Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital. “Strategically speaking, had it been closer, you might be hearing more fervent rebukes and calls to ‘resist’ from the celebrity class. However, Trump dominated the Electoral College and won the popular vote. The voters, which is a synonym for ‘fans’ in this case, spoke loud and clear. Partisan celebs might have lost the election, but they cannot afford to isolate and lose their fans as well.”
“Not everything in life requires a prepared statement or a fully carved-out position,” he added. “Simply allowing the results to settle, the fans to calm and the daily routine to progress, is itself a reasonable, deescalating response.”
Winfrey, who spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August and appeared at Harris’ final rally in Philadelphia on the eve of Election Day, has remained silent on the election results.
Meanwhile, Lopez, who spoke at Harris’ rally in Las Vegas, has been busy promoting her film, “Unstoppable,” and Swift, who publicly endorsed Harris in September, was recently seen at boyfriend Travis Kelce’s NFL game on Sunday. Neither have publicly commented on the results.
In July, Clooney told CNN’s Jake Tapper in a statement, “President Biden has shown what true leadership is. He’s saving democracy once again. We’re all so excited to do whatever we can to support Vice President Harris in her historic quest.”
Though Clooney had shown support in the weeks leading up to the election – including encouraging men to hide their votes from friends in an election ad – the Academy Award-winning actor has yet to share his thoughts on Trump’s win.
Beyoncé, a native of Houston, spoke at a Harris rally in Houston on Oct. 25.
“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 live in,” said Beyoncé, who was accompanied by former Destiny’s Child singing mate Kelly Rowland. “A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided – our past, our present, our future merged to meet us here.
“Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings,” she continued. “No limitations. Imagine our grandmothers, imagine what they feel right now, those who have lived to see this historic day. Even those who are no longer physically with us, imagine all of their sacrifices. The sacrifices made so we can witness the strength of a woman standing in her power, reimagining what leadership is. For all the men and women in this room and watching around the country, we need you.”
Beyoncé has yet to publicly comment post-election.
In early October, Bruce Springsteen took to social media to share his support for Harris and Walz.
“Friends, fans and the press have asked me who I’m supporting in this most important of elections,” he said from the bar stool of an undisclosed diner. “And with full knowledge that my opinion is no more or less important than those of any of my fellow citizens, here’s my answer: I’m supporting Kamala Harris for president and Tim Walz for vice president and opposing Donald Trump and JD Vance,” Springsteen wrote on Instagram.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Republican governor of California, announced his endorsement of Harris as well.
“It is probably not a surprise that I hate politics more than ever, which, if you are a normal person who isn’t addicted to this crap, you probably understand. I want to tune out. But I can’t. Because rejecting the results of an election is as un-American as it gets. To someone like me who talks to people all over the world and still knows America is the shining city on a hill, calling America a trash can for the world is so unpatriotic, it makes me furious. And I will always be an American before I am a Republican. That’s why, this week, I am voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
While he has since posted on Instagram, he has yet to comment on the election results.
Robert Downey Jr., along with his Avengers co-stars, urged people to vote Democrat ahead of the election.
“We’re back. Let’s #AssembleForDemocracy. In the #ElectionEndgame, every vote counts,” Ruffalo wrote, encouraging people to vote for Harris and Democrats.
Leonardo DiCaprio shared a video on Instagram endorsing Harris for president, citing climate change as one of his deciding factors.
“Climate change is killing the Earth and ruining our economy. We need a bold step forward to save our economy, our planet and ourselves,” DiCaprio said. “That’s why I’m voting for Kamala Harris.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Winfrey, Lopez, Swift, Clooney, Beyoncé, Springsteen, Downey Jr., DiCaprio and Schwarzenegger.
On the contrary, pro-Trump supporters have flooded to social media to share their thoughts on the election results.
Roseanne Barr, a longtime and well-known supporter of Trump, has engaged in various conversations on X (formerly Twitter) and even responded to one post suggesting she be the next U.S. press secretary.
“Ok, I will do it @realDonaldTrump,” she said.
Rob Schneider posted a video of himself on Instagram singing Michael Jackson’s “Smile” during a recent stand-up appearance and dedicated it to the Democratic Party.
“Smile though your heart is aching, smile even though it’s breaking,” he sang. “When there are clouds, Oprah and Beyoncé, you’ll get by,” he continued, notably switching up the lyrics to address the well-known Harris supporters.
Zachary Levi, who has been vocal about his support for Trump, responded to a fan’s tweet about feeling vindicated after the election results.
“Honestly, I don’t really feel vindication, because I didn’t need a win to know that I was fighting for what’s right,” he wrote on X. “Win or lose, I was going to follow the conviction and calling that God put in and on me from the time I was born. That said, I am so incredibly grateful to, and proud of, every one of you who saw thru all the noise, and chose to vote for @realDonaldTrump. There’s still much work to be done though. And I won’t stop fighting. Ever.”
Regardless of the results, celebrities and public figures have to proceed with caution and walk a fine line when it comes to sharing their thoughts, says Eldridge.
“Today, athletes and celebrities are far more politically outspoken, but at a certain point, it comes at a price,” Eldridge said. “This is true irrespective of party. Tom Brady got backlash for suspected support of Trump four years ago, and Nick Bosa (San Francisco 49ers defensive end) was maligned and is facing possible fines for wearing a MAGA hat after a recent game.”
“As a celebrity, there’s a delicate balance between speaking your mind and sharing your values versus isolating and polarizing your fan base,” he added. “The latter comes at a calculable expense. As I always tell clients, ‘Measure twice, cut once’ when it comes to sharing your political views with the general public.”
Fox News Digital’s Lori Bashian contributed to this post.
