Sophie Thomas has been covering culture and style for many years. She lives in Southern California.
January 27 , 2026
New York - Rapper and fashion designer Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, published a full-page advertisement in the Wall Street Journal this weekend, publicly apologizing for his prior support of former President Donald Trump. The ad, which appeared in the Monday print edition, was signed simply “Ye” and spanned nearly the entire A-section page, containing a plain-text statement on a white background.
“I was unaware of many of the facts surrounding Trump’s connections and associations at the time,” Ye wrote, referring specifically to reports detailing Trump’s past social and business ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The artist stated that, had he known more, he would have “made different choices” and expressed a desire to “rebuild trust” with fans who were “hurt or confused” by his political stance during and after the 2016 and 2020 election cycles.
The apology marks Ye’s most direct acknowledgment to date of his past political activism, which included a 2018 Oval Office meeting with Trump and the rapper’s own short-lived 2020 presidential run. While Ye has publicly expressed regret over certain statements before, this is the first time he has chosen a major print outlet to communicate that sentiment in full.
Reactions to the apology were mixed across social media over the weekend. Some praised the gesture as overdue accountability, while others criticized it as a publicity move, noting Ye’s history of controversial remarks and reconciliatory statements. The Wall Street Journal confirmed that the advertisement was placed by Ye’s management team but declined to specify the cost.
Neither representatives for Donald Trump nor the Trump Organization have yet commented on Ye’s statement.
Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved.