According to The New York Times, it’s been reported that President Donald Trump was advised to let the rapper be sentenced, so he could “play the racism card” later. The rapper spent a month in custody, flying back to the US on 2 August on temporary release. He was found guilty, but handed a suspended sentence, meaning he did not need to return to Sweden to serve any more time.

In a new testimony from David Holmes, United States Embassy in Kyiv official, the President reportedly contacted the American ambassador of the European Union Gordon D. Sondland – during Trump’s ongoing impeachment inquiry – about the rapper’s assault case in Sweden, at that time earlier this year. Sondland told him that Rocky should have accepted the charges and that Sweden should have released him on Trump’s word, advising the President to let Rocky be sentenced, and play the racism card, so he could bring him home. Despite Rocky’s troubles in Sweden, he recently stated he’s planning to return to the country to perform in Stockholm on Dec. 11.