Kanye West was scheduled to have lunch at the White House today, to talk about jobs for African-Americans and the crime rate in Chicago. Instead, he created a scene that left even Trump speechless.
West banged on the Oval Office desk, swore several times, hugged Trump, and said he loved him.
Asked whether he’d run for office, West suggested that he might in 2024, then added. “Let’s stop worrying about the future. All we have is today …. Trump is on his hero’s journey right now. He might not have thought he’d have a crazy mother-fucker like [me].”
West talked about jobs, being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and the 13th amendment (which bans slavery but permits prison labor). He also described the US’s best export as entertainment and ideas, and accused China of “cheating” the US.
In response to a question about accusations that Trump is racist, West responded, “As black people we have to take responsibility for what we’re doing. We kill each other more than police officers.”
At one point, he unlocked his phone while cameras were on, allowing sharp-eyed viewers to notice his very simple password.
West also pitched Trump on a hydrogen-powered plane he says he intends to make with Apple, and said his “Make America Great Again” made him feel masculine.
Trump, used to being the center of attention and known for his own rambling, out-of-left field interviews, was left blinking and nodding along, while looking somewhat horrified:
The president’s daughter Ivanka was “stone-faced” throughout the meeting, reporters in the White House pool said. Her husband Jared Kushner wore a thin smile.