Here's what Kimmel said after Kanye said we should try and 'love' more

"There are literally families being torn apart as a result of what this president is doing."
 By 
Shannon Connellan
 on 
Here's what Kimmel said after Kanye said we should try and 'love' more
Jimmy Kimmel couldn't help but question one of Kanye West's key philosophies about talking Trump. Credit: randy holmes/ABC via Getty Images

Kanye West has defended his support for Donald Trump to Jimmy Kimmel, but there was one moment when the late show host couldn't help but pinpoint perspective about the president.

During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night, West was talking about the concept of love, particularly pushing the idea of promoting a "dialogue about the president, not a diatribe."

West has long expressed personal support for Trump (not to be confused with agreeing with his policies, apparently).

"When I see people just even, like, go at the president, it's like, why not try love?" West said. "We can diffuse this nuclear bomb of hate that we're in as a society by thinking of everyone as our family."

Kimmel acknowledged Kanye's statements, but had his own thoughts on the matter.

"That's a beautiful thought, but just in literal terms, there are families being torn apart at the border of this country," said Kimmel, referencing Trump's policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the U.S. border.

"There are literally families being torn apart as a result of what this president is doing. And I think that we cannot forget that, whether we like his personality or not, his actions are really what matter."

"I mean you so famously and so powerfully said 'George Bush doesn't care about black people.'" Kimmel continued. "It makes me wonder what makes you think that Donald Trump does, or any people, at all?"

West took a long moment, and Kimmel had to cut to break before he answered.

Previously during the interview, West had talked about his decision to support Trump, when Kimmel asked whether he thought he was a good president.

"As a musician, African American, guy out in Hollywood, all these different things, you know, everyone around me tried to pick my candidate for me, and then told me every time I said I liked Trump that I couldn't say it out loud or my career would be over, or I'd get kicked out of the black community — because blacks, we're supposed to have a monolithic thought, we can only be Democrats," said West.

After talking through his process of speaking out about supporting Trump, West said, "I actually quite enjoy when people are actually mad at me about certain things."

West also talked about his wife, Kim Kardashian West, who'd previously appeared on Kimmel's show to talk about her own meeting with the president to convince him to grant clemency to a great-grandmother serving life in prison.

"She's super passionate about it, and it was amazing for her to see that dream come true," said West. Kimmel then asked a rather awkward question: "Were you ever concerned about her being alone in the Oval Office with President Trump?"

"Well, he is a player," joked West. Yeah, yuck.

Kimmel also asked what was up ahead for West, following his June album release, ye.

"What's next for you, Space Force?" asked Kimmel, following up with a question on whether or not West would consider designing the force's uniforms if Trump asked.

"I'm into designing," said West with a wry smile.

A photo portrait of a journalist with blonde hair and a band t-shirt.
Shannon Connellan
UK Editor

Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.

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