Trump dines with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye after announcing presidential bid

Former President Donald Trump dined this past week with white nationalist Nick Fuentes and rapper Ye — formally known as Kanye West — at his Mar-a-Lago resort, sources familiar with the matter told Axios.
The meal comes just one week after the former president officially launched his third bid for the presidency, and featured Trump conversing with two of the most controversial figures in today's media. Fuentes, a self-proclaimed Holocaust denier described by The New York Times as "one of the country's most prominent young white supremacists," is an outspoken supporter of the former president. Ye, meanwhile, has received condemnation for his antisemitic statements, and has lost a number of endorsements as a result of his comments.
Following news of the meeting, a source told CNN that Fuentes had arrived as a guest of Ye's, and that Trump had not invited him. It remains unclear how much Trump knew of Fuentes prior to the meal, however, sources also told Axios that the former president "seemed very taken" with Fuentes, describing "a lot of fawning back and forth."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that he did not know Fuentes prior to the meeting, stating, "This past week, Kanye West called me to have dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Shortly thereafter, he unexpectedly showed up with three of his friends, whom I knew nothing about. We had dinner on Tuesday evening with many members present on the back patio."
Trump reiterated on Friday that he "didn't know" Fuentes.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025
Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: February 20, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Who is actually running DOGE?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The White House said in a court filing that Elon Musk isn't the official head of Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency task force, raising questions about just who is overseeing DOGE's federal blitzkrieg
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Whether we like it or not, social media is the public square of the 21st century'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
What will the thaw in Russia-US relations cost Europe?
Today's Big Question US determination to strike a deal with Russia over Ukraine means Europe faces 'betrayal by a long-term ally'
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
The end of empathy
Opinion Elon Musk is gutting the government — and our capacity for kindness
By Theunis Bates Published
-
What is Donald Trump's net worth?
In Depth Separating fact from fiction regarding the president's finances is harder than it seems
By David Faris Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published