Singer Justin Bieber has used Donald Trump's response to A$AP Rocky's custody battle to criticise the president's US border policy.
The US rapper received an unlikely boost in his bid to be freed from custody in Sweden over an alleged fight after Mr Trump said Kanye West had brought him up to speed on the situation.
But Bieber, who has supported the campaign to release A$AP Rocky, sent a scathing message to Mr Trump, referring to the current US border policy which sees central American migrant families split up and children kept separately from their parents.
I want my friend out.. I appreciate you trying to help him. But while your at it @realDonaldTrump can you also let those kids out of cages?
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) July 20, 2019
The Canadian singer tweeted: "I want my friend out.. I appreciate you trying to help him. But while your [sic] at it @realDonaldTrump can you also let those kids out of cages?"
A$AP Rocky – real name Rakim Mayers – was arrested on suspicion of assault in Stockholm earlier this month, which caused him to miss his headline performance at Wireless Festival in north London.
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Mayers, 30, was in the Swedish capital for another gig at the time of the alleged incident on 30 June, which his lawyer has said was "a self-defence situation".
Fellow US stars including West and wife Kim Kardashian West have issued their support for the platinum-selling artist, and they have even lobbied Mr Trump as part of their efforts.
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The US president has now said he has spoken to West about the ordeal and will speak to Swedish PM Stefan Lofven to see "what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky".
He tweeted: "Just spoke to @KanyeWest about his friend A$AP Rocky's incarceration.
"I will be calling the very talented Prime Minister of Sweden to see what we can do about helping A$AP Rocky. So many people would like to see this quickly resolved!"
Writing on Twitter earlier, Kardashian West had thanked the president and senior members of his administration, saying that their "commitment to justice reform is so appreciated".
Fans of the rapper have also started a #JusticeForRocky movement on the social media site, and a petition calling for his release has garnered more than half-a-million signatures.
Adriano Espaillat, a New York Democrat in the House of Representatives, is also pushing for the Harlem-born star to be set free – saying his continued detention was "not a fair process".
He added: "Everyone deserves to be treated equally and A$AP Rocky's rights continue to be violated."
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