Donald Trump on Monday called rapper Ye a “really nice guy” who is “complicated” but has “a good heart,” praising the celebrity whose antisemitic remarks in recent years has drawn widespread condemnations and led many companies to cut ties.
Trump was widely criticized in 2022 for having dinner with Ye and the far-right activist Nick Fuentes despite their antisemitic comments. On Monday, Trump seemed to allude to the controversy surrounding Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — during a lengthy interview with online streamer Adin Ross.
“He’s very complicated,” Trump said as Ross prompted him for reactions to public figures pictured on a screen. Trump said the rapper “can get himself into trouble” along with “some other people.”
“But, you know, he’s got a good heart,” Trump said. “He does, he does, but he’s complicated, Kanye.”
Ye’s antisemitic statements cost him much of his business empire in 2022. At one point, the rapper said on social media that he planned to go “death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” Later, speaking to the far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, he said he liked Adolf Hitler and praised Nazis.
Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung noted Trump’s support for Israel and policy achievements including the Abraham Accords and said the former president has fought antisemitism “in America and abroad.”
“As President Trump said, this individual is a complicated person who gets himself into trouble,” Cheung said, referring to Ye. “Kamala Harris talks out of both sides of her mouth to appease Hamas sympathizers while Democrats have emboldened antisemitic protests on college campuses.”
The interview also raised the possibility of campaign finance violations when Ross gave Trump two lavish gifts: a Rolex watch and a custom Cybertruck wrapped in an image from the moments after the assassination attempt on Trump last month. Elon Musk — the chief executive of Tesla, which produces the Cybertruck — has endorsed Trump.
Individual contributions to candidates for federal office are capped at $3,300. Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said they would “submit an advisory opinion to the FEC to seek guidance on how to handle the gifts.” The Federal Election Commission declined to comment on the gifts to Trump. Representatives for Ross did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Adin Ross is about to gift Donald Trump this Cybertruck today
pic.twitter.com/jWmqiSuPdy
— Teslaconomics (@Teslaconomics) August 5, 2024
Daniel Weiner, director of the elections and government program at the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonprofit law and public policy institute at New York University School of Law, said Ross probably landed himself in hot water with his gifts.
“Since Trump is a candidate, he’s subject to federal contribution limits, which are in the neighborhood of $3,000 per individual per election,” Weiner said. “A contribution isn’t limited to cash. It can be an in-kind contribution, which is a thing of value. A Cybertruck is a thing of value, as is a Rolex. It’s pretty simple.”
“If it’s not Mr. Ross himself that’s giving these gifts but his company or something, then it gets more complicated,” Weiner added. “Although corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money independently on electoral advocacy, corporations are still barred from giving directly to campaigns. And so, I would argue that if it’s a corporation presenting these expensive gifts to a candidate, that’s probably illegal.”
Two years ago, Trump’s meal with Ye and Fuentes drew pushback from across the political spectrum. Matt Brooks, chief executive of the Republican Jewish Coalition, criticized the “virulent antisemitism” of Trump’s dinner guests and said, “We … call on all political leaders to reject their messages of hate and refuse to meet with them.” A representative for RJC did not immediately respond to an inquiry Monday evening.
Ross, the streamer who interviewed Trump, is also deeply controversial. He previously hosted Fuentes, who has denounced “perfidious Jews” and said those “suppressing Christianity … must be absolutely annihilated.” The streamer once responded to a discussion of gender pronouns by saying his pronouns are “kill / them.”
Trump praised the 23-year-old Ross effusively on Monday, saying he heard about the streamer from his youngest son, Barron. “Dad, he’s really big,” Trump recalled Barron remarking. After Ross urged his viewers to “go out there and vote, and vote for the right person,” Trump marveled that Ross had gone further than many other interviewers in showing support. Behind them, about two dozen supporters listened and cheered periodically, as if they were at a rally.
“Outstanding, to do what you’ve done at a young age,” Trump told Ross.
Trump and Ross spent the final part of their hour-and-a-half-long hangout sitting in the Cybertruck listening to music.
Trump’s conversation with Ross was wide-ranging. He criticized Vice President Harris by unfavorably comparing her with potential running mates: “All of the people she’s looking at are considered much better than her,” Trump said, adding that he thinks “virtually every one of them is considered better, smarter, would be a better president than her.”
Harris is expected to name her running mate Tuesday ahead of a scheduled multistate tour with the vice-presidential pick.
Harris’s campaign ridiculed Trump’s appearance with Ross in a statement, branding it “low energy” and saying Trump “spent the hour lying about his record and attacking the media instead of speaking to the issues young voters care about.”
Trump repeatedly attacked ABC News reporter Rachel Scott, who pressed Trump on past offensive comments last week at the National Association of Black Journalists convention. He called her “nasty,” “rude” and “horrible” and said that if he owned the network, he would fire her.
Patrick Svitek contributed to this report.