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| Former President Donald Trump allegedly attacked Sweden with trade war in order to secure the release of jailed rapper A$AP Rocky, according to the country's justice minister. Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, has been arrested in Stockholm alongside his bodyguard and two other members of his entourage in connection with a fight in a city-center street. Trump took a personal interest in the case, frequently tweeting in support of the rapper's release. He also offered to personally bail out the rapper, despite the fact that Swedish criminal law prohibits the practice. |
Later, he tweeted that he was "disappointed" with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven's "inability to act." On Thursday, Sweden's justice minister, Morgan Johansson, told the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter that Trump had threatened the Swedish government with "trade sanctions" if Rocky was not released. "If you can do something like this against Sweden, what would you try to do to somewhat weaker nations who don't have the support of the European Union?" According to Johansson, a Swedish newspaper."This story demonstrates how important it is to defend our legal ideals and not take our democracy for granted." Johansson went on to explain a meeting between Swedish and US officials, which included Pat Cipollone, Trump's then-White House attorney. The Swedes sought to clarify at the discussion that the government would not seek to influence the legal process, which is prohibited by the country's constitution. Rocky was eventually convicted guilty of assault, given a suspended sentence, and allowed to return to the United States after serving more than a month in jail.
Trump rushed to Twitter to congratulate the rapper on his release, writing: " "A$AP Rocky released from prison and on his way home to the United States from Sweden. It was a Rocky Week, get home ASAP A$AP!"