Kanye West confused many Twitter users Sunday, tweeting a photo of himself wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat while discussing repealing or making changes to the 13th Amendment, which banned slavery.
The rapper’s reference to the Civil War-era amendment came shortly after President Trump tweeted a supportive message about West, who gave a pro-Trump speech on “Saturday Night Live.”
In his Sunday tweet, West wrote: “this represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs. We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love.”
West later offered clarification, saying that he sees the 13th Amendment as “slavery in disguise … meaning it never ended … We are the solution that heals,” adding later: “not abolish but. let’s amend the 13th amendment … We apply everyone’s opinions to our platform.”
this represents good and America becoming whole again. We will no longer outsource to other countries. We build factories here in America and create jobs. We will provide jobs for all who are free from prisons as we abolish the 13th amendment. Message sent with love pic.twitter.com/a15WqI8zgu
— ye (@kanyewest) September 30, 2018
The amendment says: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
West’s previous remarks about Trump have been warmly received by the president, who frequently boasts of low African-American unemployment and has praised West as a free-thinker.
West claimed he was “bullied” backstage during his “SNL” stint for wearing the hat with Trump’s 2016 slogan, and Trump responded Sunday on Twitter.
“Like many, I don’t watch Saturday Night Live (even though I past hosted it) – no longer funny, no talent or charm. It is just a political ad for the Dems. Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told ‘no’), was great. He’s leading the charge!” Trump wrote.
Like many, I don’t watch Saturday Night Live (even though I past hosted it) – no longer funny, no talent or charm. It is just a political ad for the Dems. Word is that Kanye West, who put on a MAGA hat after the show (despite being told “no”), was great. He’s leading the charge!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2018
West, who famously visited Trump Tower to meet the president-elect in 2016, is married to reality TV star Kim Kardashian West, who has visited the Oval Office twice this year to request that Trump free a prison inmate using his constitutional clemency powers.
Trump commuted the life sentence of Alice Johnson, a drug crime convict, in June at Kardashian West’s urging. On Sept. 4, Kardashian West returned to the Oval Office to discuss Chris Young, 30, who was arrested at 22 and received a life sentence for dealing drugs.
Kardashian West visited Trump this month with former U.S. District Judge Kevin Sharp, who personally asked Trump to reverse Young’s life sentence, which he issued.
