Following Kanye West’s announcement that he is running for president, several well-known billionaires said they support his bid.
“If there was Rank Choice voting available and Kanye West was on the ballot with Joe Biden and Donald Trump, I would have Kanye West ahead of Donald Trump,” wrote Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban on Twitter.
“If you think Biden is a joke compared to Trump you aren’t paying attention,” he added, saying that it is “time to step away from all the memes and look at reality. The Pandemic Response could not be botched any worse and he refuses to take any responsibility or try to improve it. That’s disqualifying.”
Meanwhile, Telsa and SpaceX owner Elon Musk wrote to West: “You have my full support!”
On July 4, West wrote that “we must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future.”
“I am running for president of the United States,” he added, with the hashtag “2020vision.”
It’s not clear if West has a campaign staff or if he’s filed the needed paperwork to get on state ballots. Also unclear is if West will run as an independent.
We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States ??! #2020VISION
— ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020
Kardashian also re-tweeted West’s message and added an American flag emoji.
Some have noted that it is too late for him to get on the ballot as an independent in some states, while others said that should he mount a successful bid, it would take away voters from 2020 Democratic candidate Joe Biden and help President Donald Trump’s reelection chances.
The rapper, however, has teased a potential 2024 presidential bid, and both he and his wife, Kim Kardashian West, have met with President Trump in the White House. West, in one instance, was seen wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat.
“Trump is on his hero’s journey right now. And he might not have expected to have a crazy [expleti]ve like Kanye West run up and support, but best believe we are going to make America great,” West said in the Oval Office in late 2018.
About running for president in 2024, the rapper said that “when I run for president in 2024, we’re going to definitely … yo, whatchu [sic] all laughing at?”
“When I run for president in 2024, we would’ve created so many jobs that, in fact, I’m going to walk,” he said in 2019. West added: “What I’m saying is, when y’all read the headlines, ‘Kanye’s crazy,’ this and that, this and that, it’s like one in three African-Americans are in jail and all of the celebrities are in jail also because they can’t say nothing [sic]! They’ve got no opinion! They’re so scared!”
Focus News: Mark Cuban, Elon Musk Post Support for Kanye West After ‘Running for President’ Claim