It has come under fire from all sides and all nations: Acting Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired for ordering the DOJ not to defend the immigration ban; German premier Angela Merkel who explained the finer points of the world’s refugee conventions; even former president Barack Obama, who broke his 10-day silence to warn that ‘American values are at stake’.
None of this has swayed the maverick POTUS.
But now, in a shock move which could alter the trajectory of the entire debate, rapper-turned-political commentator Akon, 43, a man whose notable contributions to western culture include ‘Smack That (featuring Eminem)’, has finally weighed in on the side of liberty.
An impassioned video plea to the businessman turned leader of the free world posted on TMZ, features Akon airing his concerns about the edict, primarily its lack of ‘humanity.’
Interrupting his afternoon of wearing mirrored shades indoors and watching CNN, the St. Louis- born artist muses that the President has not taken ‘the humanity aspect into account’... ‘I think he didn’t think this all the way through y’know?’
Whose humanity so concerns the pop star, rumoured to be worth $80m? The plight of the residents of the seven countries included in the refugee ban? No, it’s himself, natch.
‘You have to think of all the Americans who travel outside of America, such as myself 25 different countries a month… and with an American passport, proudly,’
To be fair, he is also worried about Drake. And Bieber—the unsung victims of the immigration crisis. ‘Cause all foreigners think Canadians and Americans are the same really—like ‘cousins’, as the star helpfully points out.
Akon, who has previously identified himself as Muslim, believes the President should have more consideration for the unfortunate jetsetters who are now ‘targets’ and worse still will have to consider the local politics when simply trying to have a good time with a few thousand of their closest friends.
‘I don’t wanna have to deal with foreign affairs because of a decision my leader made for me, you know what I mean? I don’t wanna be in a position where I’m gathering millions, or thousands of crowds on a basic weekend night for us to have fun and then I become the source or the target for everyone that comes to support me because I’m an American.’
So, what next for America’s newly-anointed political pundit? Well, there are certainly vacancies in the White House. If nothing else surely an invitation to Trump Towers a la Kanye West should be forthcoming?
Consider this though—in the land of Trump, Akon already ticks several boxes: immensely wealthy, slightly unhinged, no previous experience. Does a sideline as a foreign policy lobbyist beckon?