After several years of hints, Kanye West officially announced that he will run for president this year, challenging Trump, who he once supported, and Democratic rival Joe Biden, enlisting the support of his friend and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Kanye West is seen leaving a restaurant after his show on March 02, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pierre Suu/GC Images) GC IMAGES
KEY FACTS
Concluding his fourth of July, West Saturday night tweeted: “We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States! #2020VISION.”
Musk tweeted in response: “You have my full support!”
Wife Kim Kardashian also publicly announced her support by retweeting a Western statement and adding emojis with the US flag.
West’s announcement follows years of hints that he will run for this post this year, which he later postponed until 2024 after a public announcement at the Fast Company event in 2019: “When I run for president in 2024…We would create so many jobs! I’m not going to run, I’m going to walk.”
But rapper, who recently signed a 10-year deal with Gap through his Yeezy brand, reportedly hasn’t filed any documents yet to hit state ballots, while he missed the deadline for states including Texas, New York and Indiana.
It is not known how serious the intentions of the West are this time, however, according to Ballotpedia, he still has time to apply as an independent candidate in most states.
West’s declaration was met with skepticism on social networks, while some commentators indicated that this might work in Trump’s favor.
Kanye West went from endorsing Trump to claiming he’d run against him —an announcement that benefits the president to the degree it spotlights Biden’s need for black voters & his potential weakness with young voters https://t.co/0m4PUO6s6a
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) July 5, 2020
Kanye West isn’t really gonna run for President, but his next album will be called Presidential Dropout
— David Gardner (@byDavidGardner) July 5, 2020
West’s declaration says that the rapper seeks to consolidate the political ambitions that he expressed throughout Trump’s presidency.
West previously entered into alliances with Trump and was portrayed in the Oval Office in 2018 in Trump’s signature cap, “Make America Great Again.” He once called the president his “brother” and had previously reacted to criticism of his support for Trump, likening his reaction to racial discrimination.
Although he says he did not vote in 2016, West later said that he would “vote for Trump,” and doubled earlier this year, suggesting that he would vote for him in November. But this may well change with the Saturday announcement.
American rapper and producer Kanye West embraces real estate developer and US President Donald Trump in the White House’s Oval Office, Washington DC, October 11, 2018. West wears a red baseball cap that reads ‘Make America Great Again,’ Trump’s campaign slogan. (Photo by Ron Sachs/Consolidated News Pictures/Getty Images) GETTY IMAGES
West and Musk were pictured together on July 1st, with West tweeting: “When you go to your boys [sic] house and you’re both wearing orange.”
When you go to your boys house and you’re both wearing orange 🍊 pic.twitter.com/IyPOdEKaVY
— ye (@kanyewest) July 1, 2020
