Kanye West has reportedly been in regular contact with President Trump’s son-in-law since announcing his bid for the White House, so much so that the rapper’s been telling those around him that the two talk “almost daily.” Sources cited by Forbes on Wednesday said the meeting reported between West and White House adviser Jared Kushner last week was not a one-off but part of a much closer relationship that has led some within West’s circle to suspect Kushner is trying to take advantage of the star’s mental issues during his spoiler campaign. West has not denied that his long-shot campaign is intended to put a dent in support for Trump’s Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, and though both Trump and his campaign have denied involvement, there have been plenty of signs suggesting otherwise—including an attorney representing the Trump campaign reportedly filing West’s nomination paperwork in Wisconsin. 

One source close to West told Forbes that Kushner appeared to be using some form of “reverse psychology” in his interactions with the rapper. West, in turn, has reportedly insisted to associates that “Jared’s scared and doesn’t want me to run because he knows that I can win.” But he still described the White House adviser overseeing Trump’s re-election campaign as his “boy.” After first revealing that Kushner once told him, “We don’t have Black leaders—we just have hustlers,” according to Forbes, West had second thoughts and tried to keep that quote out of print. “I love Jared. I was just... that’s my boy, you know? That’s really my boy. So I prefer to not drop his name,” he was quoted as saying.