Robert C. O'Brien, U.S. Special Envoy Ambassador, centre, arrives at the district court where US rapper A$AP Rocky is to appear on charges of assault, in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday July 30, 2019. American rapper A$AP Rocky and two other men believed to be members of his entourage are going on trial Tuesday in Sweden in a high-profile legal case that has caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump and rallied music and entertainment celebrities among others.
Wearing sweatpants and a green T-shirt in court, Mayers, 30, pleaded not guilty to an assault charge that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. He says he acted in self-defense. The special envoy, Ambassador Robert O’Brien, was seen at Stockholm District Court in the morning. A biographical statement on the State Department’s website says O’Brien “leads the U.S. government’s diplomatic efforts on overseas hostage-related matters.”
Ruth Newman, spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, told TT that O’Brien was in Sweden “to look after the well-being of American citizens, which is always our top priority.” Mayers has published videos on his Instagram account that showed him repeatedly pleading with the two to stop following him and his associates.
“He’s has been harassed in the past. In this case, the bodyguard made the assessment that these people should move on ... and not to come close,” the lawyer said.
Why the Trump Administration is wasting a lot of American taxpayer money in situations like this, where spoiled entitled celebrities get in trouble in foreign countries, is beyond me. They never appreciate the effort.
Why it may not be over for A$ap Rocky and Jafari? via YouTube
And our State Department on orders from President Trump pressured Sweden to turn him loose. You should be happy but Soros dares you to be happy.
Where are the envoys for people - particularly black men, given these circumstances - accused of crimes here at home, possibly with only an overworked public defender standing between them & a sentence in the privatized prison system? envoys for Americans losing food assistance?
So it’s settled then. No friends of Kim Kardashian’s were present at any of the war zones, since that didn’t trigger the “sendthebigguns” button
Dude shows up in court wearing sweats and a t shirt... Sweden.. Hostages Gtfoh. I'm insulted on their behalf. WE are the ones taking hostages.. Trump is an ego maniac, who just wants his way. Sending an envoy? SERIOUSLY!!!!?
Hostage Affairs?!? Is Trump afraid that A$AP Rocky is starting to exhibit Stockholm Syndrome?
Flaminglunatic1 Who cares? Honestly? Who TF cares?
Free A$AP ... I saw the entire video and it was clearly self defense. FreeA$APRocky A$APRockyIsInnocent FreeRocky freeASAP
Kardashiandiplomacy
Why, his mom is already there
Fahrenthold 100% sure the US has no power in Sweden.Maybe Trumpy should get his own house in order before branching out. Funny how Trump pulls out of all the world governing bodies, & wants America to go it alone & then thinks he can 'dictator' how other countries legal systems work.
Yeah that's not going to piss the Swedes off at all
Fahrenthold Yep, we need this guy there. Maybe Pompeo when the verdict comes in
The U.S. President gives North Korea a pass on the death of Otto Wamrbier, but pressures Sweden with a hostage affairs envoy, over a routine assault charge. What twisted dimension are we passing through?
Fahrenthold How about do that for people here that aren't millionaires
Thats what they all say when they know they screwed up.stay in jail fool
Ummm, shouldn't a special envoy for hostage affairs go where ... there is actually a hostage
The title has changed to 'spineless presidential envoy for yessir mr. president, anything you want, sir' and automatically goes on your gravestone.
Did they try sending thoughts and prayers?
Nuke Sweden!
I'm so glad Trump has sent a hostage negotiator to Sweden to get A$AP Rocky freed from captivity. While he's at it, he should try to repatriate the remains of US soldiers killed during the war with Sweden. FreeSwedishHostages
Is this for real? A special presidential envoy? This administration is a fucking joke.
Not according to the video,2 guys are well engaged physically.
margbrennan He’s not a hostage, he’s accused of a crime. This is an absolute waste of our tax dollars.
Hostage - he was arrested in a modern democracy for assault.
Fahrenthold I would think the special envoy had better things to do with his time.
Entertainment Just doing it get the black vote.
Ha like Sweden will buckle!!!!!!!
Is anyone else annoyed that so much attention is being paid to someone on trial in SWEDEN It’s not like he is in jail in RUSSIA! Seriously if you had to pick...
Put him under the jail !
How about other Americans being held for lies like spying
'Hostage Affairs' is meant as a slap in the face of Sweden's (fair) judicial system. I hope Sweden doesn't fall for this tactic.
How much is that joke costing the tax payers? Its true GOP are only fiscal conservatives when democrats are in power. Hypocrites. This is not a hostage thing its a law enforcement courts thing! How big of a briefcases of money does he have?
Lock him up!
If the guy committed the alleged crime here would he have this support. I don’t feel like even reading about him to answer it.
Fahrenthold With each reference to Trump disgracing himself over this in Sweden, whose legal system far superior to the US, I think of the single mother of five in Texas (black woman) who got a 5 year sentence for voting while on parole, rather than simply being told she couldn't vote.
Fahrenthold Instead of the “thoughts and prayers” he sends to families of mass shootings in our country, a rapper gets a “special envoy for hostage affairs” to try and influence another country after breaking their laws because a reality star asked him to?
ComfortablySmug Smart play, Defense, smart play.
Trump is going to endanger A$AP Rocky's ability to receive a fair trial if he keeps trying to make a show of interfering like this. 🤦
Hostage affairs? Are there not real hostages anywhere right now?
I wonder how many other American citizen are retained abroad currently, but they don't know anyone in the Kartrashian family to intervene on their behalf🙄
Hostage? smdh
HAHAHAHAHAHAH there is not such thing called 'self defence' in sweden. I really advice you americans to not take this up on your medias because you dont know anything!
Oh dear sweet deities. Please you sane people of the US, I urge you to read an opinion piece in WaPo about our 🇸🇪 justice system. It is very accurately described. Tl;dnr don’t worry, Rocky will get a fair trial and yes there are tapes. Or videos at least.
Envoy for HOSTAGE AFFAIRS? What In the blue Fu€k !!!?
I thought that was in a joke! He should have shown an ounce of that concern over Khashoggi's murder and mutilation. TrumpIsAFelon TrumpDerangmentSyndrome
Hostage affairs, man I wish I was rich we got people locked up on the border for trying to cross but this douchebag gets to go to another country act a fool and get called a hostage
Getting arrested for assault constitutes being a hostage? I guess I don't understand what it means to be a hostage.
Fucking Joke, this is what our government is concerned about!? N.Korea firing missiles again, Russain voting hacking, instead worried about K.W. friend A.R. for an assault charge in a very friendly country. Not like he is a US citz being held in N.Korea, that came home dead.
WTF really king Donny?
Fahrenthold 'Special envoy for hostage affairs'? To Sweden US politics suffers from mad cow disease.
Fahrenthold When did Kim Kardashian become the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage negotiations?
Fahrenthold Wut He's not a hostage!
Hostage? What a waste of money and time.
Because Sweden has a real reputation for mistreating prisoners?
I would way rather be arrested in Sweden than in the US.
Bencjacobs Why all the hype? It’s Sweden, not a 3rd world country unfriendly to us known for taking US hostages. Is it a Kardashian thing? Which-come on, really? Does trump think getting involved shows he’s not racist? again-not working.
KITTYBAYOUTSFAN Hostage affairs? Really? He’s in Sweden FFS🙄
Fahrenthold OK, enough with the charades and the waste of US taxpayers hard earned $$$.
Why is he more important than any other American locked up in another county.
Fahrenthold He is not a hostage! JFC
Fahrenthold OMG. Sweden is not a third world country or dictatorship. It has laws and a justice system and it should be presumed this man will receive fair treatment. Sounds as if there is evidence to be weighed by the adjudicator(s).
Fahrenthold Hostage affairs? Seriously?
Fahrenthold Hostage? Gtfoh
Fahrenthold Sweden needs to send a special envoy to monitor the human rights abuses at the US - Mexico border.
Bencjacobs He’s not a hostage, and my guess is that he’ll get a fairer trial there than in the USA.
Ok I have no idea if the charges are valid or not but its flippin Sweden. They have a legitimate legal system and I am sure he has the money for a lawyer. Surely there are people more in need of the backing of the U.S. govt
Fahrenthold A$AP tainted the pool of opportunity for anyone else who may truly have an unfair legal issue in a foreign country. He cried wolf by leaving out important details about his involvement. Disappointed 😔
'cause this is SUPER important right now.
Fahrenthold One more reason not to pay taxes! TaxStrike
Fahrenthold Jebus. Kids in prison kamps on the border. Monitorthismotherfucker presidentmotherfucker
Fahrenthold Will Sweden be sending a special envoy to monitor the people in cages here in the US?
He’s not a hostage. He’s a defendant.
Fahrenthold He is not a hostage.
Let’s rephrase. The president sent some people to Sweden to strong arm them into meddling in the actions of their own judicial system. All this despite Sweden stating they do not intend to meddle into the actions of their judicial system, because they have respect for the law.
Let’s pretend President Obama did this. What would you say FoxNews seanhannity
TheOnion considered tweeting this but thought it so over the line absurd, no one would ever actually buy it.
Bencjacobs Pathetic
Wow what a waste of our resources he broke the law let him stand trial the president wouldn’t get involved if this happened in America
18 U.S. Code § 2381.Treason
Sorry....”hostage”?
Sending diplomatic staff for this clown? Fabulous use of resources.
And we are separating babies from parents in horrible conditions ..But have money for this.
For hostage affairs? This is not Stockholm Syndrome. All the gods, this WhiteHouse is pathetic.
InternationalFriendshipDay BeHospitable EveryoneNeedsJustice MiraclesHappenEveryday Trusting In The Lord Jesus Christie for This Man and his Teammates. SomeoneCares
Way to keep your eye on the diplomatic ball America. You're so screwed I'm not even sure the Trump replacement can revive you. The Decline of the American Empire appears irreversible.
Hey POTUS when crimes are committed in other countries they’re entitled to carry out due process as we do here. He’s not a hostage he’s a defendant & has a lawyer to plead self defense. What about the victim if there’s no trial? Special privilege for celebs internationally now?
Europe doesn’t have an understanding of self defense
“Envoy for hostage affairs” what the fuck?!
ComfortablySmug Next step is SWAT or Seal Team 6! RegimeChange4Sweden
This dirtbag should be happy he got a fast trial. The title of the envoy is meant to intimidate but also is a slap in the face from the US to Sweden. Sweden just hold strong. Don’t cave to the man (orange) baby.
Sweden is a racist and isolationist nation. They are xenophobic and racist. They defend an Afghan hoodlum kid, who is a known criminal, who harassed A$AP for blocks, until he defended himself. Why? The Muslims will make a loud and big fuss over things like this.
What are the conditions of Swedish jail? I imagine their facilities are far better than US.
Damn that was quick
Fucking ridiculous.
0: chance realDonaldTrump knew who A$AP Rocky was before the (most recent) accusations of racism were made. Timing worked out nicely for him for his 'See, I'm not racist!' claim. Annnnddddd Cult45 will run with it.
'See, I'm not racist.' Annnndddd Cult45 runs with that. RacistInChief asshatinchief ImpotentPOTUS
“Envoy for hostage affairs” sent to Sweden. Because why? We don’t like their laws? Or trump pandering to the black community after insulting them & their leaders. It’s astonishing that people are falling for this. And terribly sad.
ComfortablySmug Free A$AP
Hostage affairs? He’s not a hostage, he’s on trial for A&B. What about the hostages on our Southern Border?
Seriously? What about journalist held hostage for years? Can it get anymore ridiculous?
ASAP isn’t a hostage, he is going on trial.
Are you kidding me? He is not a hostage!
1 being Black, 2 having Trump making demands not helping his case. Hope he gets a fair trial.
So what I’m hearing is that KimKardashian & kanyewest should immediately ask the RacistInChief to stop 1) abusing & traumatizing immigrant children & 2) making racist attacks against congresspeople of color... did I get that right?
Sweden is known for its human rights violations. 🤪
He's not a fuckin' HOSTAGE! 😂😂😂 He's a defendant in ANOTHER COUNTRY'S criminal trial! Jesus H. Christ, the ARROGANCE of the U.S. is so outrageous that it's comical!
That should guarantee his conviction. Nice work!
But he's not a hostage.
🤦🏻♂️
sad that so many people in the replies here want to see a successful, young, black American remain a hostage of a hostile foreign nation just to spite Trump 😢
Stop wasting my fucking money! GOP realDonaldTrump
He’s not a hostage. He’s accused of criminal activity in Sweden - and they will treat him far better than most who face the US criminal justice system.
For the love of God....
Oh wow, so an American rapper goes to another country commits a crime and now he's deemed a hostage? How bloody absurd is the Trump Administration.
How about sending an envoy to Russia to get a man out of prison who went there for a wedding.Not only that this man served his country.
Seems a bit of overkill for a guy facing maximum of two years on an assault charge
'The mob boss sent one of his lieutenants to check on the interests of an associate.' There... fixed it for you.
JamalKhashoggi
ComfortablySmug That Stockholm is not a smoldering crater now is an absolute disgrace. How much longer is America going to allow these meatball eating, fish mongers to racially profile our greatest artists?
NOBODY CARES but the IMPOSTOR IN CHIEF, SUCKING UP TO KANYE and the IMPOSTOR CELEBRITY KARDASHAN FAMILY.
ComfortablySmug FreeRocky
ComfortablySmug Get your Volvo's while you can, people. Lol.
What about the American who has been held captive in Russia for months now
How can we get a 'special presidential envoy for hostage affairs' sent to our southern border to monitor that situation?
Why? They sure don't treat everyone like this.
Sweden is not Iran or North Korea or other oppressive countries.
Thank you Mr President HostageDay30 FreeRocky boycottSweden
This could've been a Chapelle's Show skit
He’s not a hostage!! This is a sad attempt
If it were a white man, y’all would say he was prejudice
POTUS GOP THIS is ridiculous! A U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for HOSTAGE affairs! They aren't hostages. Didn't they break the law in Sweden? No free Get Out of Jail cards in Sweden.
Didn't Trump claim to be the greatest hostage negotiator in the Warmbier case? Why didn't he go? I wouldn't mind if Trump left the country for a good, long time!
But wait a minute, he’s a racist, why would he do such a thing as to support a black man
Crazy
Utterly pathetic.
Hostage? Seriously?
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