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Driven by first lady and celebrities such as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, President Donald Trump said today that he was trying to help the free rapper A $ AP Rocky, held by the Swedish police for several weeks.
"I will call the very talented Swedish Prime Minister to see what we can do to help A $ AP Rocky," Trump commented on Twitter, aboard Air Force One, where he had just spoken to Kanye West of the Rocky situation.
"So many people would like this to be resolved quickly!" Trump said.
Rocky, a Grammy-nominated band-selling artist named Rakim Mayers, has been in prison since the beginning of the month, as Swedish police investigated a fight in which he was allegedly involved in Stockholm before to participate in a music festival.
It was not clear who else was involved, but the videos posted on social media seem to show that a person was violently thrown to the ground by Rocky.
A defense attorney said that it was self-defense.
The case has attracted the attention of a large number of celebrities, including the artist and producer Sean "Diddy" Combs; singer Justin Bieber; singer Shawn Mendes; actress Jada Pinkett Smith; Kardashian West's mother, reality star Kris Jenner; singer Nicki Minaj; and rapper Post Malone, as well as Kardashian West, who worked with the Trump government on issues of criminal justice reform.
Representative Adriano Espaillat also requested the release of the rapper and was in contact with the State Department and the US Embbady in Sweden.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, said that Kardashian West had contacted Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor, Jared Kushner, with whom she had worked closely to inform him of the situation on behalf of her husband, a supporter of the president.
Kushner then informed Trump, according to the manager, who felt that the case deserved to be reviewed and had asked his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, to see what he was possible to do.
The State Department said today that it was following the case but refused to provide details, citing confidentiality considerations.
Providing badistance to US citizens detained abroad is one of the most important functions of the department, he said.
Kardashian West thanked Trump, Pompeo and Kushner via Twitter, as well as "all those involved in the efforts to release ASAP Rocky and his two friends."
"Your commitment to justice reform is so appreciated," she wrote Thursday.
Rocky's lawyer, Slobodan Jovicic, told The Associated Press that his client was aware of the president's comments and "is very grateful to everyone who has reached out to show their support".
"It means a lot to him, but we are focusing on the case we have before us," he added.
Trump did not mention Kardashian West nor Kushner to reporters at the Oval Office on Friday and said it was his wife who had initially brought the case to his attention.
"She was talking to me about:" Can you help A $ AP Rocky? "Said Trump, who said he also heard others.
"Many, many members of the African-American community called me, my friends, and said," Can you help me? " "So, personally, I do not know A $ AP Rocky, but I can tell you that he has tremendous support from the African American community in this country," he said.
"We will talk to them," Trump said, referring to Swedish officials. "We have already started."
"We are working with the State Department and hope to bring it back home soon," added the First Lady, Melania Trump.
Ohio's pastor Darrell Scott, a long-time black supporter of Trump who has worked with the administration on urban justice issues, said he was among those who had raised the issue. Trouble with Trump on Friday night after Rocky's management asked for help.
"We know that it is a high priority for the President and the State Department, on instructions from the President," said Kareem Lanier, co-chair of the Urban Revitalization Coalition, who attributed in the White House the badurance that Rocky A $ AP was moved. for better conditions of detention.
Lanier and Scott both rejected the idea that Trump was drawing attention to the issue to distract attention from criticism of his attacks on four Democratic women members of Congress, noting that the administration had worked on this issue before last hubbub.
They applauded Trump for drawing attention to the issue.
"Whenever President Trump gets involved in anything, it brings a level of attention" to a problem that can not be matched by those who "do not have that cache or reach", said Lanier.
The Stockholm District Court ruled on Friday that Rocky would remain in custody for another week to allow the police to complete his investigation. They have until July 25.
Jovicic, Rocky's attorney, said that he felt the decision was "unfair", but that he remained confident in his case.
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