Kanye West has doubled down on his praise for US President Donald Trump with a flurry of tweets featuring a signed Make America Great Again hat and several influential figures in the extended Trump-O-Sphere, and he even landed a retweet from the POTUS himself in the process.
After sharing several video clips from Dilbert creator, self-styled free-thinking guru, and Trump supporter Scott Adams, Kanye told his 27.8 million Twitter followers that nobody on Earth could stop him from loving the 45th President of the United States.
Why? Because of his “dragon energy.”
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989179757651574784
Responding to waves of criticism for implicitly endorsing one of the most heavily maligned US leaders in living memory, Kanye said he cared less about Trump’s politics and more about his seeming disdain for public opinion.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989179949851463681
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989180180659777536
Those messages received a quick intervention from his wife, Kim Kardashian.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989192498307219456
But two hours later, Kanye posted a photo of himself wearing a Make America Great Again cap.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989222392630202368
A signed Make America Great Again cap.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989227154993963009
That overtly political fashion statement drew ire and praise in equal measure, as fans and plain-old MAGA folks tried to conceptualise one of the biggest celebrities on the planet as a Trump supporter.
The name-dropping didn’t stop there. West said he’d be interested in meeting with Silicon Valley venture capitalist Peter Thiel, known for his own US $1.25 million donation to the Trump campaign.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989227852162785280
Then, this happened.
Thank you Kanye, very cool! https://t.co/vRIC87M21X
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
As followers began to square away Kanye’s statements, Kim stepped in to remind the braying masses that people are entitled to controversial opinions without being labelled mentally ill.
She also made it patently clear that she doesn’t endorse all of his views, and especially not the ones regarding Trump.
He’s a free thinker, is that not allowed in America? Because some of his ideas differ from yours you have to throw in the mental health card? That’s just not fair. He’s actually out of the sunken place when he’s being himself which is very expressive
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018
Now when he spoke out about Trump… Most people (including myself) have very different feelings & opinions about this. But this is HIS opinion. I believe in people being able to have their own opinions,even if really different from mine
He never said he agrees with his politics— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018
Kanye will never run in the race of popular opinion and we know that and that’s why I love him and respect him and in a few years when someone else says the same exact thing but they aren’t labeled the way he is and you will all praise them! Kanye is years ahead of his time
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018
Mental Health is no joke and the media needs to stop spitting that out so casually. Bottom line
— Kim Kardashian (@KimKardashian) April 25, 2018
Despite a career chock full of controversial political statements – it’s been 13 years since he said on national television that President George W. Bush didn’t care about black people, and a year since he actually met Trump – Kanye’s latest move still feels momentous, and only too fitting for a figure whose entire career has been built on defying expectations.
Watch this space. Things could get much more interesting.
https://twitter.com/kanyewest/status/989228791976284160
