In his wide-ranging interview with Fox News' Tucker Carlson, Kanye West claimed he had no knowledge of a close relationship between ex-wife Kim Kardashian and the Clintons at the same time he was publicly embracing Donald Trump.
West claimed a friend said that Kardashian and ex-mother-in-law Kris Jenner had called him "because he had influence inside of the Black community" and purportedly wanted him to persuade others to get the coronavirus vaccine.
"I don't have opinion on that. I just want to state that that's a flat statement. But it was wild that I didn't know how close my own wife was to the Clintons. I didn't know. You know, I didn't realize it at the time," he said.
When asked by Carlson how close his ex's family were to Bill and Hillary Clinton, West remarked "like cell-phone away."
"Or, tell Ye to say this – or hey, go out and use your platform to push the vaccination."
Carlson said in his prologue to the interview that this was one example of how West was seen as a "massive problem for the industrial deception complex" during the Trump era – when celebrities and corporate titans largely coalesced in uniform around Hillary Clinton and fervently against the future president.
"They applied intense pressure to get him back on the script. And apparently his [ex]-wife was part of that," Carlson said.
In the interview, West explained why he likes Trump, remarking that the "conservative values all line up" and that he's "like Ralph Lauren" and has his name on his global brand.
"He made Ivanka," West quipped.
West confessed that he kept his fondness of Trump a secret initially during his campaign and that he found himself "biting his tongue" for the sake of his children.
"I never actually told people I like Trump while he was running because I was bullied by Hollywood," he said.
West appeared to compare Trump to the prophet Moses, noting he had a stutter and other setbacks but was used by God in a history defining way.
He claimed people who believe to have the perfect demeanor or skill set are often "the most fake" – because God uses the imperfect to attain great things.
Tune in to "Tucker Carlson Tonight" at 8 pm ET Friday for Part 2 of Tucker's exclusive interview with Kanye West on Fox News Channel.
