Trump staffer says Kanye West not ‘traditionally American’ for inauguration

Trump may have hosted Kanye West at Trump Tower in New York City, but that doesn’t mean the controversial rapper is going to perform at the inauguration on Friday.

Although rumors have been swirling that West is on deck to perform, Presidential Inauguration Committee Chair Tom Barrack Jr. said on Wednesday that simply wasn’t the case.

“We haven’t asked him. I mean, he’s been great. He considers himself a friend of the president-elect, but it’s not the venue. The venue we have for entertainment is filled out; it’s perfect. It’s going to be typically and traditionally American. Kanye’s a great guy; we just haven’t asked him to perform. We move on with our agenda,” Barrack said.

–Kanye West explains why he met with Donald Trump–

Of course, the immediate question on everyone’s mind was just what Barrack meant by “traditionally American.” After all, some of the performances include and Irish river dancer and a child opera singer. And since rap undeniably originated right here in the United States, it’s hard to think of something more American.

It’s even more puzzling considering the fact that Trump and his team have had a hard time getting performers to commit to come to the inauguration, with many simply turning down the national spotlight because they feel they can’t support Trump’s presidency.