The Washington Post reported today that a new pro-Trump COVID ad campaign is going on, which was set to feature celebrities based on their political beliefs and support of Trump. The $250 million ad campaign was ostensibly designed to “defeat despair” caused by the coronavirus pandemic and was tailored to boost Trump’s re-election chances.
According to leaked documents published by CNBC, the Trump administration reached out to Billie Eilish and asked her to participate. The documents describe Eilish as “not a Trump Supporter” and quote her as saying “[Trump is] destroying our country and everything we care about.” She, of course, did not accept the offer, given her 2020 Democratic National Convention performance. Among the 274 celebrities considered, 10 were approved, while others—Jennifer Lopez (for her Super Bowl performance which criticized Trump’s immigration policies), Justin Timberlake (“publicly endorsed Obama and supports gay marriage,” according to the Trump admin document), and Christina Aguilera—rejected the proposal.
The campaign has not seen its light of day, as it’s been put on hold, and none of the filmed ads were aired on television.