Trump offers to vouch for A$AP Rocky's bail in Sweden

President Trump said he spoke with Sweden’s prime minister Saturday about jailed rapper A$AP Rocky and “offered to personally vouch for his bail.” Mr. Trump tweeted that during a “a very good call” with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, he also “assured him that A$AP was not a flight risk.” 

The platinum-selling, Grammy-nominated artist has been in custody since early this month over an alleged fight.

Urged on by first lady Melania Trump and celebrities including Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West, the president said Friday that he would intervene to try to free the rapper, whose real name is Rakim May.

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“Our teams will be talking further, and we agreed to speak again in the next 48 hours!” Trump wrote Saturday after speaking with Lofven.

The Swedish prime minister issued a statement earlier Saturday saying he would be glad to speak with Trump about A$AP Rocky’s detention but that his government “cannot and will not attempt to influence prosecutors or courts.”

“I understand that President Trump has a personal interest in the case….He has expressed the desire for a conversation with me, which is certainly positive,” Lofven said. “I will explain that the Swedish judicial system is independent. In Sweden, everyone is equal before the law, and this includes visitors from other countries.”

A$AP Rocky has been behind bars while Swedish police investigate the fight in Stockholm he allegedly was in before appearing at a music festival. Videos published on social media appear to show a person being violently thrown onto the ground by A$AP Rocky. A defense lawyer has said it was self-defense.

Other recording artists have spoken on his behalf, including Sean “Diddy” Combs, Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, Nicki Minaj and Post Malone.

Mr. Trump said at the White House Friday that “many members of the African American community” had called him asking him to help secure the rapper’s release from detention. “I personally don’t know A$AP Rocky, but I can tell you he has a lot of support from the African American community in this country,” he said.

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