The Breakfast Club co-hosts Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy have issued cease and desist orders to former President Donald Trump over the use of their voices in a recent campaign ad that attacks Vice President Kamala Harris over transgender rights.
On October 17, Charlamagne used his Breakfast Club segment, “Donkey of the Day,” to call out the Trump campaign for airing an ad approved by the former President he says used his voice without permission. The ad, which aired on national television, criticizes Harris’ stance on funding surgical procedures for transgender prisoners.
The ad in question included a clip of Charlamagne on his show saying, “Kamala supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners…Hell no, I don’t want my taxpayer dollars going to that,” followed by a clip of DJ Envy commenting, “Kamala supports transgender sex changes in prison with our money.”
COMING TO A TV NEAR YOU… pic.twitter.com/FoYIoEgVGj
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 14, 2024
In the clip used by the Trump campaign, Charlamagne was discussing his reaction to a separate Trump ad on the same subject. “When you hear the narrator say Kamala supports taxpayer-funded sex changes for prisoners, that one line I was like, ‘Hell no, I don’t want my taxpayer dollars going to that.’” In the clip, he further elaborated, calling the ad “effective” and “impactful.”
The segment ended with Charlamagne criticizing the Trump campaign’s $65 million spend on the ads, arguing that there are far more pressing issues, saying, “You got $65 million for anti-trans ads? Man, drop that bag to people here in America who need it.”
DJ Envy responded, “My mother was very disturbed with that one. They’ve been playing commercials where it seems like Charlamagne and myself support Donald Trump with this ad.”
The ads ran before Charlamagne’s “We The People” interview with VP Harris in Detroit, which was broadcast across over 130 iHeartMedia stations.
During the discussion, Harris addressed criticisms of being overly scripted, emphasizing the need for repetition to communicate her stance on key issues. She also criticized Trump’s handling of COVID-19, including his controversial decisions and misinformation campaigns targeting Black voters. Responding to a caller, she discussed balancing foreign aid with domestic priorities like homelessness and reflected on her record as a prosecutor.
That interview has garnered more than a half million views on YouTube.