Topline
Amber Rose became the latest celebrity to endorse a candidate for president—shocking fans by posing for a picture with Donald and Melania Trump—after others like Cardi B said they would not vote for either President Joe Biden or former Trump in the November election.
Key Facts
Amber Rose, a model and reality television personality, endorsed Trump in a post on Instagram—a major pivot from the former exotic dancer who founded a feminist SlutWalk protest in 2015 and once called Trump a “f—-ing idiot” in a 2016 New York Magazine interview.
Cardi B confirmed she would not vote for President Joe Biden in a Rolling Stone interview due to his support for funding ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war.
Cardi B has previously been an outspoken supporter of Democratic presidential candidates—first endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., in 2020 before endorsing Biden after he clinched the nomination.
But she told The Guardian she would not endorse Biden during an interview in November, and confirmed that to Rolling Stone on Thursday saying, “[America] don’t pay for endless wars for countries that have been going through s*** for a very long time.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson also told “Fox & Friends” host Will Cain his 2020 endorsement of Biden caused “division.”
“Thrift Shop” rapper Macklemore also suggested he won’t back Biden in a song he released supporting the anti-war protesters at Columbia University, rapping: “The blood is on your hands, Biden, we can see it all/And f— no, I’m not voting for you in the fall.”
Other celebrities critical of Biden over the war in Gaza and the U.S.’s military aid to Israel include “Euphoria” star Hunter Schafer, who was arrested protesting Biden’s appearance on “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (Schafer has not made an official endorsement yet).
Meanwhile, comedian and character actor Michael Rapaport said he would not vote for Biden because he paused weapon shipments to Israel when the nation’s military moved to invade Rafah, where millions of Palestinian civilians were taking refuge.
Key Background
Although some celebrities are voicing criticism against Biden, polling suggests the presumptive Democratic nominee still has an advantage with younger voters. A Harvard Youth Poll released in April showed that Biden still has a commanding 19-point lead among likely voters ages 18-29, but that lead does begin to shrink after independent and third party candidates like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jill Stein and Cornel West are included in the polls.
Which Celebrities Are Endorsing Candidates?
During the 2020 election, dozens of major celebrities endorsed Biden over Trump—as they traditionally do the Democratic candidate—but only a handful have endorsed him so far this election cycle. These include “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill. Other popular performers who endorsed Biden in 2020 have yet to comment on the 2024 election, including Taylor Swift and Beyonce—but several big names, including Lizzo, Queen Latifah and Lea Michelle performed at a massive fundraiser that raised $25 million in a single night in March. Many celebrities could endorse Biden closer to the election. For example, Bruce Springsteen did not officially endorse the president in 2020 until releasing an ad on October 31—just days before the election. Former President Trump has garnered support from some celebrities, including Kid Rock, Jason Aldean and Jon Voigt. He has also scored some unlikely endorsements, including former New York Giants star linebacker and convicted sex offender Lawrence Taylor.
Tangent
Although Trump and Biden are the likely nominees for the major parties in the 2024 election, another group of celebrities have thrown their weight behind Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is running an independent campaign after leaving the Democratic Party. Kennedy’s supporters include actors Rob Schneider and Woody Harrelson, who narrated a documentary advertisement about the candidate earlier this month. In November, Utah Jazz legend John Stockton endorsed Kennedy. In a video interview published by Politico, the former point guard said “I’m unabashedly anti-vax,” and cited Kennedy’s campaigns against vaccines as a primary reason for his endorsement. Kennedy’s supporters also include controversial actor Kevin Spacey, who gave the independent candidate a ringing endorsement last week. “When the world turned its back on me, Bobby leaned in,” Spacey said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. Spacey was accused of sexual misconduct during the #MeToo movement, but has long denied the allegations.