Advertisement

Kim Kardashian West says she didn't care if working with Trump hurt her reputation: 'I put all that out the door'

Kim Kardashian West stopped by The View on Friday to promote her new line of shapewear, SKIMS, and also addressed the controversy surrounding her work with President Trump.

Kardashian met with Trump to discuss prison reform in May 2018, and to lobby for the release of Alice Marie Johnson. Johnson, 63, was serving a life sentence for a drug trafficking charge. After Kardashian and Trump’s meeting, the President commuted Johnson’s sentence and she was released after serving 21 years behind bars.

Many criticized Kardashian’s involvement with Trump, but she told the panelists of The View she didn’t care. “For me to think that I couldn’t go and speak to the man that has the power to change people’s lives because of some opinions I may have of certain policies and issues felt very self-centered that I was more worried about my reputation than saving someone’s life,” she said.

Kardashian added, “I put that all out the door and I thought to myself, ‘You know what? I’m going to choose her over my reputation.’” Her husband, musician Kanye West, stirred up some controversy of his own with his vocal support of the president.

View co-host Meghan McCain noted, “He also only tends to listen to celebrities, so the fact that you’re doing it I think is a great help to so many people.”

The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star also revealed she plans to continue to work with Trump. “I brought up some other issues that are close to my heart privately, and I continue to have those conversation and to fight for that.”

Moderator Whoopi Goldberg also praised Kardashian’s efforts, noting “if you don’t try, you don’t get.”

Viewers on Twitter were divided over Kardashian’s involvement in politics and influence over President Trump. Some expressed that they don’t think she’s qualified to be influencing policy, and others wrote that they didn’t think she had much of a reputation to uphold in the first place:

Others took the time to applaud Kardashian for her activism and for using her celebrity towards good in the world:

Meghan McCain slams Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy:

Read more from Yahoo Entertainment:

Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle’s newsletter.