Music

Kanye West to have lunch with Trump in the White House

Rapper and US president will reportedly discuss prison reform and violence in Chicago

File image from December 13th, 2016, of US president Donald Trump and Kanye West at Trump Tower in New York. File photograph: AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Tue Oct 9 2018 - 15:25

US president Donald Trump will host one of his most famous fans, musician Kanye West, at the White House to talk about prisons, jobs and what to do about violence in Chicago, the White House said on Tuesday.

West will have lunch with the president and also meet with Mr Trump's adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said. She did not give a date for the lunch, but the New York Times reported the two would meet on Thursday.

“Kanye West is coming to the White House to have lunch with president Trump and he will also meet with Jared Kushner,” Ms Sanders said in a statement. “Topics of discussions will include manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence, and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago.”

West emerged as one of Mr Trump’s most high-profile celebrity supporters during the 2016 presidential election campaign. He was booed at a concert shortly after the election for declaring his support for Mr Trump, although he also said he had not voted.

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He was booed again last month when he appeared on stage after a performance on Saturday Night Live’s season premiere wearing the Trump campaign’s trademark red MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat.

On Monday, Mr Trump pledged to end a “crime spree” in Chicago, where West grew up, and called for loosening restrictions on police in the third-largest US city to allow stopping and frisking suspects for weapons and other contraband. – Reuters

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