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Update: Thursday, October 29, 2020, 6:16 pm EST: This post has been corrected after an error emerged in The Washington Post's original reporting. The Trump administration did not say Billie Eilish was "destroying our country and everything we care about," but was quoting her speech at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.
Today, the Washington Post reported that a $250 ad campaign ostensibly designed to "defeat despair" caused by the coronavirus pandemic was tailored boost Trump's re-election chances. Little surprise there, right? As Trump's appointees and contractors proposed different celebrities to ask to star in the ads, candidates were considered based on their political beliefs and support of Trump.
According to leaked documents published by CNBC, the Trump administration asked Billie Eilish 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."
Out of 274 celebrities considered, 10 were approved. Other rejected celebrities included 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 (“is an Obama-supporting Democrat and a gay rights supporting liberal”). Celebrities who made the cut included actor Dennis Quaid, Dr. Oz, and Billy Ray Cyrus. You can read the full list of celebrity asks here via CNBC.
The entire campaign has been put on hold, and none of the filmed ads have aired on television. The brains behind the campaign, Trump’s Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Michael Caputo, is currently on a 60-day leave after a Facebook Live broadcast in which he baselessly told Trump supporters to prepare for an armed insurrection led by left-wing groups.
For her part, Billie Eilish performed "my future" at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, so it's unlikely that she would have participated even if the Trump administration asked.
