Kanye West asks Trump to be his vice president, launches 'Ye24' campaign

West, who prefers to go by Ye, said that Trump was "basically screaming", telling West "you're going to lose."

 Then US-president elect Donald Trump and musician Kanye West pose for media at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York City, US, December 13, 2016.  (photo credit: REUTERS/ANDREW KELLY)
Then US-president elect Donald Trump and musician Kanye West pose for media at Trump Tower in Manhattan, New York City, US, December 13, 2016.
(photo credit: REUTERS/ANDREW KELLY)

American rapper Kanye West asked former President Donald Trump to be his vice president for his 2024 presidential campaign at a dinner at Mar-A-Lago, West said in a video he published to his Twitter account on Friday morning.

"I think the thing that Trump was most perturbed about [at the dinner] — me asking him to be my Vice President," West told right-wing political activist Milo Yiannopoulos. 

West, who prefers to go by Ye, said that Trump was "basically screaming", telling West "you're going to lose."

Trump's concerns were dismissed by West, who said, "has that ever worked for anyone in history? Hold on, you're talking to Ye."

The rapper had previously indicated in a Wednesday Twitter poll that he would ask Trump to be his running mate, but many news outlets, including The Jerusalem Post, had assumed that West would ask to be Trump's vice president, as the former US leader had announced his own presidential run earlier in the month.

Rapper Kanye West smiles during a meeting with then-US President Donald Trump to discuss criminal justice reform at the White House in Washington, US, October 11, 2018.  (credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE/FILE PHOTO)
Rapper Kanye West smiles during a meeting with then-US President Donald Trump to discuss criminal justice reform at the White House in Washington, US, October 11, 2018. (credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE/FILE PHOTO)

West appeared to have launched his campaign for the White House on Friday with several videos and graphics proclaiming "Ye24" complete with a corresponding hashtag. 

Ye had made hints that he would run for the Oval Office in the past, and was on the ballot in twelve states during the 2020 elections – receiving 70,000 total votes for US president.

"I think the thing that Trump was most perturbed about — me asking him to be my Vice President."

Kanye West

Trump and West clash

Further conflict at the dinner came when Trump reportedly insulted West's ex-wife and discussed policy differences.


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According to the video, West had reportedly challenged Trump on not pardoning January 6 Capitol rioters. Trump allegedly told West that he had pardoned Alice Johnson, who was convicted on drug trafficking charges, for West rather than Kardashian, who had lobbied for her release. Trump reportedly insulted Kardashian.

"That's the mother of my children," said West.

The rapper also called on Trump to "hold all policies directly to the bible."

West brings Nick Fuentes to dinner

According to a text chat screenshot published by West on Twitter on Friday, alt-right extremist Nick Fuentes accompanied West to the dinner. Fuentes had previously been seen with West at the Miami Airport. 

Described by the Anti-Defamation League and various NGOs as a white supremacist, Fuentes has previously courted controversy by engaging in Holocaust denial and proposing white ethnonationalist policies.

West has previously been expressed support for Trump, visiting the White House during his tenure as president, donning a "Make America Great Again" hat.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.