Jul 18, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Trump made aware of A$AP Rocky's detention in Sweden by Kardashian call

Jonathan Swan

Photos: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images; Andrew Chin/Getty Images

President Trump has directed his administration to work to have rapper A$AP Rocky freed from custody in Sweden after Kim Kardashian West contacted White House adviser Jared Kushner about the issue, as first reported by TMZ.

The state of play: A person familiar with the situation told me the TMZ story is accurate and that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has taken the lead to work on Rocky's detention.

Kardashian West did reach out to Kushner, who brought the issue to Trump's attention. The president told his team he wanted the issue resolved, the source added.
Rocky’s team has also been directly in touch with the White House, the source said.

The backdrop: Rocky turned himself into Swedish police last week after he was wanted for questioning about a street fight in Stockholm, which he and his entourage say was started by two harassers, but Swedish authorities did not properly reach out to the U.S. officials, per Politico.

Swedish authorities must decide by tomorrow whether to charge Rocky, who is currently being held in solitary confinement, with a crime or release him.
TMZ reports that there is "real fear prosecutors might delay their decision ... and keep [Rocky] in custody."

Go deeper: Kim Kardashian has helped free 17 inmates in the past 3 months

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Trump made aware of A$AP Rocky's detention in Sweden by Kardashian call

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