Watch: 'Ambassador' Kanye West Visits Trump Tower, Chats With Donald Trump

UPDATE, 3:30 p.m.: Kanye West just explained on Twitter that he "wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues" such as "bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago." He said: "I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change." He then tweeted "#2024" — an apparent reference to the year West now plans to run for president, and a not-so-veiled endorsement for Trump in the year 2020.

Earlier in the day, an alleged "source close to West" told E! News that the rapper visited Trump to discuss becoming an "ambassador of sorts" for the president-elect, perhaps in an "entrepreneurial leadership role." A who's-who of Silicon Valley elite — the heads of Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc. — are likewise scheduled to pay Trump a visit Wednesday for a "tech summit" inside the tower. "Shame on Silicon Valley for climbing the Tower in silence," writes Kara Swisher over at Recode.

And then there's this:

Original story below.

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — Pool reporters assigned to sit around all day in the lobby of Donald Trump's 5th Avenue residence in Midtown, watching the comers and the goers, got a special surprise Tuesday morning in the form of a post-rehab, newly blonde-haired Kanye West (and his giant posse, albeit without a single Kardashian).

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West walked into Trump Tower, otherwise known as White House North, around 9:15 a.m., then boarded the elevator, the pool reported.

A short time later, West came back down to the lobby with Trump in tow. The pair, who said they've been friends "a long time," smiled for some photos and chatted with reporters.

Probed with a political question by one reporter, West said: "I'm just trying to take a picture right now." The rapper and the businessman then engaged in a (surprisingly not that awkward) pound hug of sorts and went their separate ways.

"So long, man. I'll see you soon. You take care of yourself, all right?" Trump said to West during the handshake.

West recently went on a 16-minute, pro-Trump rant in front of a live crowd at his Saint Pablo Tour stop in San Jose, Calif.

"If I would have voted, I would have voted on Trump," he said at the concert. During his rant, the rapper also re-upped threats that he himself would run for president in the year 2020. (Read the full transcript here.)

West then dropped his microphone — after only playing three songs — and walked offstage. His personal physician reportedly asked Los Angeles police to check him into a mental hospital soon after. He stayed for more than a week, but was back at home by the end of November.

Lead photo by Marcus Linder/Flickr