Rapper Kanye West gave a wide-ranging, apparently impromptu speech, during his meeting with President Donald Trump. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo White House Kanye West says Trump hat makes him 'feel like Superman'

Rapper Kanye West on Thursday defended supporting Donald Trump, saying that wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat made him feel empowered and that it's embarrassing for the United States if the president doesn't look good on the world stage.

"If he don't look good, we don't look good. This is our president," West said during a press briefing in the Oval Office before a lunch with the president and former NFL star Jim Brown. They were set to discuss a number of issues, including crime in Chicago, West's hometown, and criminal justice reform.


The rapper gave a wide-ranging, apparently impromptu speech, which also included discussing his own mental health — he said he had been misdiagnosed as having bipolar disorder — and the need to bring jobs back to Middle America.

West has been criticized by other entertainers and some African-Americans for avidly supporting the president. He said Thursday that wearing Trump's signature MAGA cap, which he donned during an appearance on “Saturday Night Live,“ "made me feel like Superman."

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"This is our president," West said. "He has to be the freshest, the flyest, the flyest planes, the best factories. And we have to make our core be empowered."

West said he met with the Chicago head of police prior to his meeting with Trump. He said he was asked to speak to Trump about stop-and-frisk policies, in which police can temporarily detain, question and possibly search civilians on the street for weapons and other contraband. Critics say police departments that have used the policy disproportionately target black men.

"We feel stop-and-frisk does not help the relationships in the city. And everyone that knew I was coming here said, 'Ask about stop-and-frisk,'" West said. "That's the No. 1 thing that we're having this conversation about."

Trump during a rally on Monday said he asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to go to Chicago "to help straighten out the terrible shooting wave." He also suggested that Sessions should implement "stop-and-frisk."

The president said he's "open minded" to what West said. He called the rapper's comments in the Oval Office impressive and said West spoke "from the heart."

"He can speak for me anytime he wants," Trump said. "He's been there. Good guy. Smart cookie. Smart. He gets it. These two guys, Jim Brown, he's been doing this for a long time."

