Kanye West, the rapper who became a hero of some conservatives by forcefully supporting President Trump, tweeted on Tuesday that he had been “used to spread messages I don’t believe in” and pledged to stay away from politics.

Such a pronouncement, made in a string of declarations on Twitter, necessitates an immediate list of caveats. Saying you’ll do something is quite a bit different from doing it, and Mr. West has proved to be impulsive on social media. Few will be surprised if the vow doesn’t last long.

Even so, if it’s really a turning point, his exiting the political arena would have real-world consequences. And his tweets were the closest he’s come to expressing regret over his much-criticized political commentary, which has disappointed many of his fans and peers and earned praise from conservative figures.