Rapper to dine with Trump at the White House

Kanye West is coming to the White House.

The rap star is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and then have lunch with Trump, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed yesterday.

The visit is the latest development in a budding relationship between Trump and West, who met at Trump Tower in New York during the 2016 presidential transition and have exchanged flattering tweets over the past year.

The meeting with Kushner is expected to focus on criminal justice issues, which fall under his purview as a senior adviser to the president.

In a statement, Sanders said topics of discussion with Trump ‘‘will include manufacturing resurgence in America, prison reform, how to prevent gang violence, and what can be done to reduce violence in Chicago.’’

Trump told reporters that West would also be bringing Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown to the White House.

‘‘He’s been a terrific guy,’’ Trump said of West. ‘‘He loves what we’re doing for African American jobs, for so many different things. Median income, as you see, is at an all-time high; poverty level at the best rate, meaning the lowest rate. And Kanye is a smart guy, and he sees that.’’

In a speech to a gathering of law enforcement officers on Tuesday, Trump urged that police in Chicago implement the policy of ‘‘stop and frisk’’ to curb the gun violence that is plaguing the nation’s thirdlargest city.

Trump has on several occasions cited his friendly relationship with West in appeals to black Americans, who sided overwhelmingly in the 2016 election with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Earlier this year, West took to Twitter to defend his views about Trump – which have prompted a backlash from some fans. In many tweets, he called Trump ‘‘my brother’’ and said the two share ‘‘dragon energy.’’ – Washington Post