Kanye West's latest foray into antisemitism is making some of his Republican backers slightly uncomfortable, including one of his most high-profile supporters, former President Donald Trump.
West -- who now goes by Ye -- has recently alienated fans and business partners with antisemitic comments, interest in racist conspiracy theories and wearing a provocative "White Lives Matter" T-shirt at Paris fashion week.
According to Rolling Stone, in the days after West declared that he was prepared to go to "def con 3" on "JEWISH PEOPLE," Trump has privately told people that West, who he once called "a friend of mine for a long time," is acting too "crazy" and needs professional "help."
Sources close to the matter tell Rolling Stone that Trump has also said he should refrain from commenting on West for a while -- a move that Rolling Stone says is "strategic" and "not rooted" in any "moral objection."
IN OTHER NEWS: Steve Bannon tosses his own lawyers under the bus in plea for leniency
But Trump created his own antisemitism controversy with a post to his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying that American Jewish voters haven't given him enough gratitude.
"No President has done more for Israel than I have," Trump wrote. "Somewhat surprisingly, however, our wonderful Evangelicals are far more appreciative of this than the people of the Jewish faith, especially those living in the U.S."
Earlier this year, West was banned from posting on Instagram for 24 hours after violating the social network's harassment policy amid his acrimonious divorce from reality star Kim Kardashian, with whom he has four children.
While in the past some analysts have allowed West benefit of the doubt due to his mental illness, the consensus this time around has emphasized that psychiatric episodes are not an excuse for bigoted behavior.
In the opinion pages of The New York Times, columnist Charles Blow dubbed the artist "a brooding, narcissistic attention addict and praise junkie."
"He attends his torture. He curates and employs it. Some of it may come naturally, but some is manufactured, to enlarge the legend."
With additional reporting by AFP
