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Kanye West Will Meet With Trump to Discuss Manufacturing Jobs in Chicago

The rapper is also expected to bring up the subject of criminal justice reform.
Donald Trump, Kanye West. President-elect Donald Trump and Kanye West pose for a picture in the lobby of Trump Tower in New YorkTrump, New York, USA - 13 Dec 2016
President Donald Trump (L) and Kanye West
Seth Wenig/Shutterstock

Kanye West is heading to the White House.

The rapper, who has been vocal about his support for the current administration, will meet with President Donald Trump and his son-in-law, senior adviser Jared Kushner, on Thursday.

In a statement issued via the White House press pool, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the news: “Kanye West is coming to the White House to have lunch with President Trump, and he will also meet with Jared Kushner. Topics of discussions will include manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago.”

West, who was raised in the Illinois city, is expected to discuss the ways to increase the number of manufacturing jobs in the area.

The Yeezy designer will also bring up criminal justice reform, particularly through reducing gang violence and exploring job opportunities for former convicts — a passion project for Kushner, who has met with experts and advocates to develop initiatives to reduce the recidivism rate in the United States.

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(Separately in May, West’s wife, Kim Kardashian, took a trip to the White House to secure a presidential pardon for Alice Johnson, an African-American woman who was serving a life sentence without parole for a first-time drug offense.)

Despite criticism from fellow A-listers in the music industry, African-American communities and even fans on social media, West has remained one of Trump’s biggest celebrity allies. His scheduled visit comes shortly after an appearance on the Sept. 29 season premiere of “Saturday Night Live” in which the music mogul donned a “Make America Great Again” hat and went on a pro-Trump rant that didn’t receive air time.

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