As we’ve previously discussed, A$AP Rocky was arrested and detained for his role in a fight/assault in Stockholm, Sweden about three weeks ago. Rocky was detained in a Swedish jail this entire time, and on Thursday, he was charged with the Swedish equivalent of felony assault. Last week, Donald Trump tweeted about the case after Kim Kardashian tweeted at him and Kanye West called the White House. Trump also made a call to the Swedish prime minister about the case.
If you think it’s weird that Donald Trump continues to abuse his platform and position to beg for preferential treatment for A$AP Rocky, just think about how weird it COULD get. I had a flash of horror as I sat down to write this, like Trump was about a day away from suggesting on Twitter that Lisbeth Salander should absolutely get involved in A$AP Rocky’s case. Trump is already making references to Sweden’s “real crime problem,” which I can only assume is the mysterious case of Mikael Blomkvist and Hans-Erik Wennerström.
Very disappointed in Prime Minister Stefan Löfven for being unable to act. Sweden has let our African American Community down in the United States. I watched the tapes of A$AP Rocky, and he was being followed and harassed by troublemakers. Treat Americans fairly! #FreeRocky
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
Give A$AP Rocky his FREEDOM. We do so much for Sweden but it doesn’t seem to work the other way around. Sweden should focus on its real crime problem! #FreeRocky
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2019
“We do so much for Sweden…” Do we? I’m really asking. And even if we did “do so much” for Sweden, it seems strange to issue a veiled threat to Sweden because they’re… charging an American with a crime in which they’ve spent the past three weeks gathering evidence and carefully weighing what the charges could and should be. I get that the Swedish criminal justice system is literally foreign to us, but the Swedes don’t seem to be abusing Rocky or abusing their authority.
Some reactions to Trump using the #FreeRocky hashtag:
A$AP Rocky needs to get back to America WHERE BLACK MEN ARE TREATED FAIRLY.
— Neal Brennan (@nealbrennan) July 26, 2019
The African American Community faces systemic racism, social injustice, and cultural stereotypes on the daily and Trump uses #FreeRocky to pander as if Hip Hop is a key general unifying issue for blacks. This is racist. Period.
— Produkt (@ProduKtJRG) July 26, 2019
Kanye: Hi Mr. President do you want to engage in more tokenism and free my friend
Trump: Rocky innocent! #FreeRocky
Central Park 5: **exonerated by DNA evidence**
Trump:
pic.twitter.com/uEKgKfzqfu— Matt Friedman (@MattDFriedman) July 25, 2019
Also:
While being questioned by Swedish police ASAP Rocky was asked if he goes by any nicknames.
“Yes. Rocky, Asap Rocky, pretty mother fu–er, I can't think of any more.”
More: https://t.co/7OUFOyvKyK pic.twitter.com/mrU2WmMJT1
— Complex (@Complex) July 26, 2019
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Whether you agree with their system or not, Sweden does not give out bail release. He does not want to plea out, so he will stay in a nice jail cell until trial which will be set up within a week or two because their system moves much quicker than the USA.
Not sure what threats Trump could do. Like punish Sweden with tariffs for a man who took excessive force to stop being egged on while carrying drugs? He really wants another photo OP with Kim
None of this has anything to do with Trump caring about ASAP Rocky. This is about Trump being pissed off that he can’t order the Swedish PM around or bully him into submission the way he does everyone else. He’s not getting his way, so he’s throwing a fit like the toddler that he is. The most frustrating part is that Trumpsters will point to this as proof that Trump isn’t a racist. Sigh.
Black people see straight through his bullshit. They saw him from the very beginning, WELL before he was president.
What a despicable bastard he is.
Bingo! Sweden is pushing back hard on Putins buildup at their borders, and also Russia’s military activities in the seas. An article in The Economist in 2018 stated that a Russian invasion of Europe would most likely begin in Sweden. Trump doesn’t have dementia, he’s a drug addict. When he carries out a campaign of attack against a specific thing–like Sweden in this case, he’s being put up to it by a campaign of coordinated messaging intended to destroy democracy worldwide.
Adastraperaspera-
Yes, the Putin thing is no coincidence. Makes me wonder if ASAP Rocky wasn’t intentionally harassed for the purpose of provoking an attack to get him jailed.
But I’m unconvinced Trump is smart enough to intentionally spread coordinated messaging. Frankly, I think Putin just found a willing fool. Or has others pulling DT’s strings.
@ adastraperaspera- That’s the connection and the motivating factor. The POTUS is a f*cking puppet.
Not only is Trump a puppet, but he truly does not understand the meaning of an independent judiciary.
He can’t order the PM to do anything in any case — the PM *cannot* get involved in a criminal matter or do anything to affect change. Dump just can’t get that through his addled brain — he thinks all foreign leaders are oligarchs, like he fancies himself to be.
This.
I do not think Sweden has plea deals either. We don’t here in Finland and it’s pretty similar system there.
Your President is a moron, hay hoo mine is BJ!!!
Putin has a type!
+1 He sure does.
“Trump is already making references to Sweden’s “real crime problem”…”
He means Muslims. Divide and rule. Bigots’ 101.
He is clearly talking about Ikea and it’s continued refusal to include all necessary parts in the BEKANT system office furniture! Make Ikea Great Again!
(I feel like in these dark times I should mention that my above comment is sarcasm, because really this could be an actual issue that the current president of the United States would address on twitter)
Trump, right now: brb, issuing sanctions against Ikea!
Zapp- He’s obviously talking about the criminally good tunes of ABBA. Those earworms should be outlawed!
(Adding that I’m joking, because as you said, the line between satire and reality is gone).
no no no…the real crime is that they’re going to stop selling Volvo cars in the US in the next few years. AND that they stopped production on Saabs.
Yep. Bingo. Once again the Nazi is chief is all about that islamophobia.
And yeah Sweden doesn’t give a f**k what the USA thinks. Honestly, most of world doesn’t at this point but pretend for the sake of trade dollars. Sweden is just lucky.
Yep. Major dog-whistle. Expect “Malmö to enter the conversation soon.
I’m confused. I thought DT was a law and order President who believes foreigners should follow the laws? Lol.
Imagine 50 years from now:
“Grandpa why did we go to war with Sweden?”
” Well, Johnny, Kim Kardashian decided she wanted to play lawyer, and Kanye had a friend named ASAP Rocky. . .”
LOL. Love this comment.
LMAO! Amazing.
Yes little Johnny you must understand the reality star with the big ass she liked to show to everyone made the ugly old man feel important. His ego was stroked. And that’s all that really matters in the end….
Now let’s take the horses over to the next fortified settlement to see if they have any water today. It’s daylight so the mutants will be sleeping.
I’m not sure it was just his ego that was stroked. (ba-dum-cha)
I wish I could upvote this.
“Do we do so much for them?”
Short answer, not really.
No foreign aid. Sweden is looking to do more trade outside of Europe and the US is their 5th largest trading partner, but It’s a distant fifth only capturing 6.4% of Sweden’s exports.
More info: https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-sweden/
He probably means NATO.
Sweden isn’t a NATO member, I think.
We do so much for Sweden by not doing anything for them, that’s my theory. Given the efficacy of our help or the way we only do it to advance our own foreign and domestic policy and often leave countries worse off, I feel like all other countries should probably be waving us off with a “thanks, no thanks.”
I guess he grew tired of obstructing justice in the US so now he’s trying to do it in Sweden.
He’s just probably really pissed Sweden could take a high profile case from event to trial in less than one month. Imagine that in America with a famous person with high paid lawyers. Never.
Trying to intimidate Sweden for his buddy Assange?
This.
Another episode of his reality show…
While we have lies, crimes and Mitch blocking bills to protect our elections, this is the distraction.
His reasoning for blocking those bills was because “it gives Democrats a political advantage.”
…..
NOT allowing foreign interference in our elections, wanting FAIR elections gives DEMOCRATS the advantage. *facepalm*
When will this nightmare end?
Kitten- The whole reason Trump exists is that the right/conservatives/GOP can’t stand it’s going the way of the dinosaurs. They’re desperate to not get left behind.
If he wins reelection, it doesn’t end. That would mean the permanent end of the US as it had been known.
That’s what drives me insane: they KNOW their ideology is oppressive and archaic. They KNOW it’s not popular.
But instead of assimilating or changing with the times they cling to their regression. Republicanism is a cancer on our society.
basically admitting that the only way the GOP wins is by cheating.
which we already knew, of course, but it’s surprising to hear #MoscowMitch admit it.
ETA: Kitten, I often ponder “why don’t they just try to appeal to a wider range of voters?” but then I realize, THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT VOTERS. at least not the everyday ones. they just want that sweet, sweet corporate money.
Yup! It’s all about accumulation of power and the money that comes with it-AT ALL COSTS. They’ve never given two f*cks about their constituency which is why they’ve never passed any legilation to improve their lives, only tax cuts for the wealthy. They work for their rich donors, not the people that vote them into office.
It is criminal that Mitch McConnell/GOP blocked the election security legislation.
Maybe we have to just tease them with the idea that Iran could also interfere and swing the election for the Democrats and then see if they suddenly find motivation to protect our democracy
Kim K was as the White House for a meeting with trump just prior to his tweet according to the daily mail with lots of pictures. She is in DC to film a documentary about her crusade for prison reform and stopped by the White House. I don’t normally read the articles there, just the headlines, but I did click on this one. They speculated the meeting was about her friend ASAP Rocky. Even little North got to go meet Kim’s new favorite president. Will be interesting if she campaigns for him. Will she still be everyone’s favorite new crusader if that happens?
How can she talk prison reform for a friend in Sweden? How are any of these people near power, let alone in it. I mean did she visit the prison to see the conditions, does she find a trial after a month too long (those migrants waiting longer imprisoned in worse would disagree). I guess her law studies make her an expert in laws, as well as their prison systems, in every country across the world.
Don’t worry – she will. Maybe not as vocally as her husband, but you can 100% guarantee she’ll be sending money his way.
As I said before, she smells blood in the water and she knows she’s found a way to the biggest stage in the world and she is going to act on it. I’m reasonably certain that she will start dropping hints about a desire for a political career soon and she knows she has the ear of this empty headed moron that can make it happen. She doesn’t care about prison reform, and honestly she probably doesn’t care about ASAP Rocky either – at least not past his usefulness as a means to pretend she cares about “justice”. She cares about the fame and the attention. End of.
F*ck her and f*ck her husband for legitimizing this evil asshole to her brainless followers.
She’s already crossed the line with the tweets. Her thanking Trump and Kushner for “criminal justice reform” gives him far too much credit. They will be used to normalize him and paint his administration as moderate.
The Neal Brennan tweet about sums it up. I’m just numb to this toxic combination of buffoonery and menace that seems to have become our new normal.
The guy is an outright psychopath who uses any means to crush people into giving him things. Anyone or anything not giving him what he wants will be slandered to no end, with all kinds of slander, even the things he himself is actually guilty of doing or his own failings, and then just FULLY MADE UP stuff, as long as its being aimed at the person who is saying no. Or the person remotely associated with something that is obstructing him. His tool is social blackmail, social shaming, makign everyone hate you and destroying people in his way.
He then has the audacity to brag abut “how much he achieves” this way, as though he were “some great genius”. What does he even achieve except MASS DISORDER, we’re talking GLOBAL SCALE disorder right now because of the ignorance and carelessness of this guy becuae he doesnt know ANYTHING about what hes sticking his nasty tiny hands into– ANYWHERE!!!
Yes. It’s abhorrent. Even more abhorrent are the people who proudly support him. I’m beside myself that we’ve descended so far.
On top of being a psychopath, he is also an alleged speed freak. Its rumoured that he snorts crushed Adderall and has done for years. Back in the day on the NYC party scene, it was rumoured like liked the white stuff. From there he moved onto prescription drugs like Adderall.
Regularly snorting a drug for ADHD and sleep apnea is why he is always sniffing. Its not dementia thats fkd his brain up, its the drugs.
I’m sorry but why are so many people trying to get this guy released? It sounds like he comitted a crime and he should be punished. It doesnt matter if hes a celebrity or not. This is all so stupid.
It got a bit messy in the previous thread discussing that, ha.
I wish Trump cared this much about all the brown people who have been unfairly imprisoned for crimes they didnt even commit in our own damn country. But I guess brown people dont matter if they arent famous rappers.
A few points here to aid the arguments:
Sweden has a totally independent judiciary so the Prime Minister can do nothing to influence the case.
None of the Nordic countries have systems where you can be released on bail.
The Nordic jail systems are seen to be some of the best in the world.
Oh and Sweden doesn’t have a border with Russia.
So in US there is no separation between branches of government and the president or other politicians could get prisoners freed if they wish to? That sounds scary.
I’m going to make one more pitch for one of my favorite shows of all time – “Bron/Broen.” Malmo, Swedish prison system, Danes making fun of Swedes, dark Nordic crime. What’s not to love?
This is the a-hole’s agenda to alienate our Western European allies in favor of Russia, China and Korea. In other words, his continuing rejection of democracy and embrace of dictatorships. Also, “hot” Kim Kardashian asked him to do it. She should now ask him to release the babies in cages.
I’m sure A$AP Rocky knows he stands a better chance as a black man getting justice in Sweden than in the US.
The worst thing Trump could do to Sweden is move there.
Sorry, Sweden, but I would love nothing better if Trump DID move to Sweden.
A year from now, Trump may be wishing he were in a Swedish prison. Today’s court filing by the House Judiciary Committee spells out very clearly that they are on the path to impeachment. https://judiciary.house.gov/sites/democrats.judiciary.house.gov/files/documents/FINAL%20PETITION.pdf
Hi Lightpurple, yes! I heard that. This is great news. I know some were and are disappointed in Mueller the other day, Say what you will, but actually, I feel he did help us move forward, and gave us a lot to work with. Here’s hoping and hold on to that hope all!
Mueller was and did exactly how and what I expected Mueller to do. He’s career law enforcement. Nothing but the facts, no embellishment. He was hamstrung by the ridiculous restrictions imposed on his testimony by Barr’s frivolous & fraudulent investigation of the investigation and he was beyond patient with the loony conspiracy theory questions half the GOP was throwing at him. But, because of his training, he wasn’t going to respond to them with emotion.
There is a video and it shows clearly that Rocky was both provoked and attacked by refugees. Basically Rocky is entitled to emergency self-defence which is what happened.