Trump: Kanye West is ‘a smart guy’

President Trump lauded Kanye West as a “smart guy” following the rapper’s continued praise of the president.

Speaking to reporters on the White House lawn, Trump said that West “loves” what the administration is doing on a number of issues.

“He’s been a terrific guy, he loves what we’re doing for African American jobs,” Trump said. “Median income … at an all-time high, poverty level at the best rate, meaning the lowest rate. Kanye is a smart guy.”

President Trump: “Kanye is a smart guy.” pic.twitter.com/CjceB87AAW

— The Hill (@thehill) October 9, 2018

West is set to meet with Trump and senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner on Thursday to discuss “manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence, and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago,” the White House said late Monday.

{mosads}West has drawn criticism from fans for his repeated praise of Trump, which he revived last week with a pro-Trump speech following his performance on “Saturday Night Live.”

The rapper called Trump his “brother” and said that the two are both “dragon energy” in a series of tweets earlier this year, for which Trump thanked him by replying: “Very cool!” The two also met in Trump Tower shortly after the 2016 election.

West’s wife, reality star Kim Kardashian West, has also met with Kushner and Trump to discuss prison reform. Kardashian West successfully pushed Trump to issue a pardon for Alice Marie Johnson, a grandmother serving a life sentence in prison for a nonviolent drug offense.