Bill Gates,Ray Lewis,Jim Brown ,Kanye West And Others Visit Trump Tower

Bill Gates,Ray Lewis,Jim Brown ,Kanye West And Others Visit Trump Tower

President-elect Donald Trump welcomed a celebrity guest list for meetings as he prepares to take office.

The parade of big names past the assembled press, gawking passers-by and tourists included rapper Kanye West, football legends Jim Brown and Ray Lewis, Trump backer and reality TV star Omarosa Manigault and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates.

Trump has been spending nearly all his days since the election in his upper floor office in Trump Tower holding meetings on his presidential transition. The President-elect has been staffing his Cabinet and meeting with his top transition and incoming White House staff.

But Tuesday was dominated by the big-name attendees, leading critics of Trump to ask why he had time to meet with the recently hospitalized rapper amid reports he frequently declines his Presidential Daily Briefing on top intelligence matters. Later Tuesday, Sean Spicer, a top Republican National Committee adviser, said Trump is now getting the briefing three times a week.

Trump also postponed a news conference to discuss how he will remove himself from his company’s operations because his team says it’s complicated and they need more time.

Also not seen in Trump Tower was Trump’s freshly named secretary of state nominee, ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson, as he faces questions from senators about his relationship with Russia

West requested the 15-minute meeting, according to Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks. Almost an hour elapsed from when West arrived unannounced and when he came back down — with Trump standing at his side.

Trump said the “friends (for) a long time” discussed “life.” West stood by stoically, finally responding to the press asking about the meeting: “I just want to take a picture right now.”

It was only the third time since the election that Trump has come down to speak with reporters gathered in his lobby. He gave Kanye a parting handshake and half-hug, half-back pat.

West later elaborated about the meeting over Twitter.

“I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues.”
He soon added on Twitter, “These issues included bullying, supporting teachers, modernizing curriculums, and violence in Chicago.”

“I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change.”