Donald Trump once again advocated for the American rapper A$AP Rocky, who has been held in police custody in Sweden since 3 July.
“Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM, We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around”, Trump argued on Twitter on Thursday.
Donald J. Trump
(@realDonaldTrump)Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem! #FreeRocky
Trump also directly addressed the Swedish prime minister, Stefan Löfven, who refused to get involved in the case after previous advocacy from Trump. In a statement earlier this week, Löfven’s office had said that “in Sweden everyone is equal before the law”.
The US president on Thursday said he was “very disappointed” Löfven was “unable to act”.
Donald J. Trump
(@realDonaldTrump)Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States. I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly! #FreeRocky
A$AP Rocky, a Grammy-nominated artist whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was charged last month over a fight in the Swedish capital, Stockholm.
Mayers has insisted that he acted in self-defense. He posted videos on Instagram purporting to show the lead up to the confrontations, with two men who appear to be following the rapper and then attacking his security guard.
Celebrities including Kim Kardashian West and Justin Bieber have rallied behind the rapper.
Kardashian West directly appealed Trump to help Mayers, prompting the president to tweet last week he was working to free the rapper.
“I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky,” Trump tweeted from aboard Air Force One last Friday, adding he had just spoken with Kanye West about Mayers’ situation.
