The famous couple drew criticism after being seated near Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner at a REFORM Alliance gala that raised $20 million.
JAY-Z found himself at the center of online chatter after he and wife Beyoncé were allegedly spotted seated near Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner during the REFORM Alliance Casino Night and Gala at Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on Saturday (September 13), an event that raised $20 million for criminal justice reform.
The high-profile fundraiser, hosted by JAY-Zs, Meek Mill and Michael Rubin, and emceed by Kevin Hart, drew a star-studded guest list. But it wasn’t the performances or speeches that had people talking — it was the seating chart.
Photos from the gala began circulating online, with some claiming the power couple sat close to Donald Trump’s daughter and son-in-law. Other reports suggested the two Grammy Award winners were seated alone in the center of the room. The ambiguity didn’t stop critics from weighing in.
“Guess the Kamala endorsement was just to get good PR,” one user posted on X, formerly Twitter. Another added, “All that campaigning for Kamala was clearly a front.”
Supporters quickly pushed back, pointing to Beyoncé’s past political involvement.
“Beyonce wasn’t dancing her ass off while being 8 months pregnant with twins to support Hillary Clinton’s campaign for you h*es to be calling her MAGA,” one user wrote. Another chimed in, “‘Beyoncé is maga’ the same Beyoncé that attended and gave a FULL SPEECH at Kamala’s rally? the same Beyonce that sent a cease and desist on trump for using ‘Freedom’ on his campaign? are we crazy?”
Beyoncé did appear at a Kamala Harris rally in Houston last October, where she joined Kelly Rowland onstage and introduced the then-vice presidential candidate.
“It’s time for America to sing a new song. Are y’all ready to add your voice to the new American song?” she said. “Let’s do this. Ladies and gentlemen, give a big, loud Texas welcome to the next president of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”
The REFORM Alliance, founded in 2019 by JAY-Z, Meek Mill, Michael Rubin and others, works to transform probation and parole laws in the United States. The organization aims to reduce the number of people trapped in the criminal justice system through legislative advocacy and policy reform.
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