WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday the White House was in touch with Sweden over the controversial jailing of rapper ASAP Rocky there.
A Stockholm court on Friday ordered the Harlem rapper to stay in custody in Sweden for another week while an investigation is completed into an alleged assault during a street brawl.
"I have been called by so many people asking me to help ASAP Rocky," Trump told journalists in the Oval Office.
"And we are going to be calling, we'll be talking to them. We've already started."
His wife Melania added that "we are working with the State Department and we hope to get him home soon."
The rapper born Rakim Mayers was arrested shortly after midnight on July 3 over his alleged involvement in a street fight on June 30.
His jailing has triggered outrage from fellow artists, fans, Congress members -- and Kim Kardashian, who appealed to the White House concerning the matter.
"Thank you @realDonaldTrump , @SecPompeo, Jared Kushner & everyone involved with the efforts to Free ASAP Rocky & his two friends. Your commitment to justice reform is so appreciated," tweeted Kardashian, who over the past year has championed criminal justice issues.
"I personally don't know ASAP Rocky but he has tremendous support from the African American community in this country," Trump said.
Fellow artists including Post Malone, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Nicki Minaj, Meek Mill and Justin Bieber voiced their support for Mayers, with rapper Tyler, the Creator saying he would no longer perform in Sweden.
An online petition called #JusticeForRocky has garnered more than 600,000 signatures, and posters with the words "Free ASAP Rocky ASAP" have been put up around Stockholm.
The rapper is to remain in detention until July 25, the new deadline to press charges in the case.
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