Donald Trump is still full of surprises, and his latest might be the most shocking yet. Sure, few expected the billionaire businessman to win the election, but no one predicted he would meet with Kanye West during his transition period. Today, that is exactly what happened.
On Tuesday morning, West was spotted walking into Trump Tower in New York City, with an entourage and videographer with him. Then the two emerged, after a brief meeting, from an elevator together and strolled toward a curious press pool.
The two scheduled the meeting because Trump “is going to be president for all Americans,” Trump transition team communications director Jason Miller told The Daily Beast. “[Kanye] has had positive things to say about the president-elect,” and Trump is interested in “putting together coalitions” and wants to “reach out to people both from traditional and nontraditional political viewpoints,” Miller added.
In response to an initial question in the lobby about what the hell just happened, Trump said “just friends, just friends.” He then pointed to West, standingly silently with his arms crossed, and said “good man.”
As reporters shouted questions at the unlikely duo, Trump said “we’ve been friends for a long time,” as West kept silent guard. When asked what the two of them discussed, Trump simply said “life.”
West was asked if he plans on performing at the inauguration and after a long and awkward pause in which the two men looked at each other as if to see if one could come up with an answer, West just smiled and said “I’m here to take a picture right now.”
As West departed a few moments later, he gave Trump a handshake—he dapped him up—in the most awkward interaction of politics and hip-hop since Hillary Clinton “hit the dab” on Ellen. Trump then tapped the rapper on the shoulders in the way an approving middle-school football coach would before sending a player into the game.
The meeting was not explained any further on a subsequent daily transition call with Miller.
“The president-elect and Mr. West spoke with reporters in the lobby at Trump Tower,” Miller said. “When I see the president-elect, I’ll definitely ask him because I’m curious as well.”
Later in the day, however, tweets from Kanye West’s account alleged that “he wanted to meet with Trump…to discuss multicultural issues” as well as ongoing violence in Chicago. He also alluded to the idea that he would run for president 2024, suggesting West believes Trump will be a two-term president.
Earlier this year, West announced his plans to run for president in 2020. When asked about his plans, West said that he would “prefer not to run against someone.” Apparently, the two men have worked out a solution to this apparent conflict of interest:
#2024
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) December 13, 2016
Source: The Daily Beast
What the *uck did he do that for?
Good Grief.