Kanye West, now known as Ye, has made headlines again, and this time it’s not because of his music. During a post-Grammy party in 2025, the rapper explained why he did not attend Donald Trump’s inauguration, despite being a vocal supporter of the former president.
According to an unpublished video obtained by TMZ, Ye confessed that he intended to attend the ceremony, but was asked to issue another apology for his past antisemitic statements. This condition was enough for the artist to cancel his attendance, arguing that the demand made him feel censored.
Kanye West refused to apologize for his anti-Semitic statements in order to attend Donald Trump's inauguration
During the conversation, the rapper explains, "I was going to go to the inauguration, but they told me I had to write another apology." Additionally, when pretending not to remember the term "antisemitic," his interlocutor, Justin LaBoy, intervened to help him. Ye's statements about Trump's inauguration come more than a year after the rapper published an apology in Hebrew addressed to the Jewish community.
In his message, which was later deleted, the artist claimed that his words were not meant to offend and deeply regretted the harm caused. However, the apology did not convince everyone. Some considered it a forced attempt to restore his public image.
The truth is that the rapper's initial apologies came after losing million-dollar deals with brands like Adidas and Balenciaga in 2022, due to his hateful comments on social media. At the moment, West seems unwilling to issue more apologies or address the issue of his controversial statements.
The controversial and media-covered relationship between Kanye West and Donald Trump
West has maintained a controversial relationship with Trump over the years. In 2016, he met with him at Trump Tower, and in 2018, he sported the iconic red Make America Great Again cap during a visit to the White House. However, his connection with the former president has had tense moments.
In November 2022, Ye had dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago alongside white supremacist Nick Fuentes, sparking strong controversy. Trump distanced himself from the situation claiming he didn't know who Fuentes was and described the dinner as "quick and uneventful."