US singer-songwriter Beyonce speaks during a campaign rally for US Vice-President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, on October 25. – AFP
Superstar Beyonce injected fresh star power into Kamala Harris's White House campaign on Friday, as the vice president and her rival Donald Trump sought to sway voters with just 11 days left in a closely contested election. Joining forces with her Destiny's Child bandmate Kelly Rowland, the Grammy-winning artist introduced Harris to a crowd of over 20,000 enthusiastic supporters in Houston, Beyonce's hometown. "It's time for America to sing a new song," Beyonce declared, urging voters to turn out. Although she did not perform any of her hits, her presence amplified the focus on Harris's rally, which centered on abortion restrictions in Republican-led states. Beyonce emphasized that she was there not as a celebrity, but as "a mother deeply concerned about the world... a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies." Texas, though not a key battleground state, saw Harris leveraging her star-studded event—which also included country music legend Willie Nelson—to highlight abortion as a critical issue in the final days of the campaign. "We are 11 days away from an election that will shape the future of America, including the freedom of every woman to make decisions about her own body," Harris stated.
Meanwhile, Trump was in Austin, recording a three-hour interview with "The Joe Rogan Experience," the most popular podcast in the United States. The conversation, which touched on topics like UFOs and secret files on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, largely avoided policy specifics and steered clear of the abortion debate, according to a video released Friday evening. Rogan did not explicitly endorse Trump, and even expressed hope that Harris would also appear on the show. Trump, however, encouraged the comedian to follow billionaire Elon Musk's lead and publicly support him. "You can't be voting for Kamala. Kamala. You're not a Kamala person," Trump remarked.
Trump's subsequent rally in Michigan was delayed due to the interview, causing many attendees to leave before he arrived. Earlier in the day, Harris and Trump clashed over allegations that the former president is running as a "fascist." Harris, backed by Trump's longest-serving White House chief of staff, accused him of being a "fascist" unfit for power. In response, Republican leaders in Congress condemned her remarks, citing ongoing threats against Trump and accusing Harris of inciting potential violence. A recent ABC News/Ipsos poll found that half of the country agrees with Harris's assessment that Trump is a fascist. At a spontaneous press conference, Harris reiterated the danger she believes Trump poses to America.
Trump's inflammatory remarks about immigration continued in Austin, where he referred to the United States as a "garbage can for the world" for the second time that week. Polls indicate a dead heat in the race, with a New York Times/Siena College survey showing Trump and Harris tied at 48 percent each. Both candidates have turned to podcasts and YouTube shows to reach undecided young voters who could tip the election. Trump aims to win over Rogan's massive audience, while Harris focuses on abortion to underscore her message that Trump threatens American freedoms. "Texas, what is happening across this state and our country is a health care crisis, and Donald Trump is the architect of it," Harris said, highlighting the plight of women forced to travel out of state for emergency medical care. "Please know, no one is protected if there is a Trump national abortion ban." The November presidential election marks the first since the 2022 US Supreme Court ruling that overturned nationwide abortion protections.
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