0 comments
Rapper Nicki Minaj was once considered a gay icon and a strong denouncer of Trump, having previously criticised his immigration policies and campaigns. Over the past year she has made a strong pivot the other way, appearing at right wing rallies with Erika Kirk in a likely attempt to boost her bank account and political standing.
‘I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,’ Nicki Minaj said to Erika Kirk in December at a surprise appearance for Turning Point USA’s Amfest. ‘He has given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys and to win.’
These comments were made as part of Nicki’s recent, very public pivot toward hard right politics.
After several years of online arguing and increasingly conservative takes on health care, the rapper has finally made a full transition to the MAGA movement. For many, hearing her so clearly and vocally express unflinching support for the current administration at Erika Kirk’s rally last month was particularly jarring. The fact she was there at all was shocking.
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) December 23, 2025
In the early and mid 2010s, she was considered a gay icon and champion of LGBTQ+ spaces, appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race as a judge and pulling out of a Saudi Arabia show out of respect for the community in 2019. Her music, alter egos, outfits, personas and aesthetics leaned heavily into queer identity and culture, which she fully embraced.
Nicki also used to routinely criticise Trump.
In 2015 she called his first campaign ‘childish’ and commented that it would be good for reality television. In 2016, she highlighted how Trump would likely want her to ‘go home’ for being an immigrant in a freestyle, and later denounced the administration’s separation of families at the Mexico-US border.
However, throughout the 2020s, Nicki has steadily been drifting further toward right wing sensibilities and politics. She refused to follow the ‘anti-Trump bandwagon’ in 2020, expressed skepticism toward vaccines during the pandemic, and began to engage in explosive feuds with other rappers on X, including Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
My cousin in Trinidad won’t get the vaccine cuz his friend got it & became impotent. His testicles became swollen. His friend was weeks away from getting married, now the girl called off the wedding. So just pray on it & make sure you’re comfortable with ur decision, not bullied
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) September 13, 2021
It’s worth noting too that her husband, Kenneth Petty, is a registered sex offender for attempted rape. Her older brother, Micaiah Maraj, was convicted of predatory sexual assault against a child in 2017, and is currently serving a prison sentence.
Nicki’s recent actions have caused some to speculate that she may be looking for pardons or legal leniency for both, as Trump has a habit of dismissing cases against convicted felons. In 2022, for example, he pardoned Todd and Julie Chrisley, television stars who were charged with fraud and tax evasion. It’s not too wild to suggest that Nicki may be looking for similar treatment.
So, what did she actually say in 2025, and what are her current political stances?
In November of last year, Nicki delivered a UN speech in which she supported and echoed a contested Trump narrative that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria. She thanked Trump for ‘prioritising the issue and for his leadership,’ despite there being no evidence that Christians were being targeted exclusively.
Experts say that jihadists and other armed groups have attacked all communities, with no particular affiliation for any one religion. Nigeria’s government said that Trump’s emphasis on only Christians was a ‘gross misrepresentation of reality’ and that ‘terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology – Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike.’
Nicki’s speech was then followed by the above-mentioned Turning Point USA’s Amfest appearance, where she walked on stage holding hands with Erika Kirk, the widow of right wing influencer Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot in September 2025.
During this event, Nicki praised Trump and JD Vance, criticised Democratic politicians including Gavin Newsom, doubled down on her opinions regarding Nigeria, and alluded to anti-trans ideologies and sentiments. She said that ‘if you are born a boy, be a boy,’ and read out several of her social media posts that mock trans rights.
Unsurprisingly, the community she was once championed by were outraged and saddened at her comments. Reddit, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram all have a plethora of users expressing dismay and betrayal, with plenty of fans promising to revoke their support if she continues to pander to MAGA influencers and figures.
Why is Nicki making such a strong pivot to right wing politics?
Understanding why exactly Nicki has made such a dramatic turn can be tricky, particularly when considering her roots and career trajectory.
Why would someone abandon the queer community that helped them for over a decade just to appease openly racist, hostile right wing organisations that are critical of everything from civil rights to Black musicians? Charlie Kirk himself even directly referred to Nicki as a ‘bad influence’ for teenagers and publicly disliked her, which makes her recent pandering all the more confusing.
The most obvious answer is money; it’s no secret that Nicki’s influence on music culture has been steadily waning over the past five years or so.
Her last album, ‘Pink Friday 2,’ failed to make a lasting impact outside of a few semi-popular singles, and other artists like Ice Spice, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B and Doja Cat are dominating in comparison. This could possibly be why Nicki keeps getting into social media spats – her diss track toward Megan, released in January 2024 and titled ‘Big Foot,’ was a flop, cementing a new generation as fresh, vocal industry leaders.
Celebrities resorting to political grifting when their relevance is starting to fade has become all too common over the past decade.
Lil Wayne and Kanye are two obvious comparisons that come to mind; both musicians began to tap into conservative audiences later in their careers, taking advantage of the money and engagement that typically come from this demographic. Kanye in particular called slavery a ‘choice,’ openly supported Candace Owens, and endorsed the ‘All Lives Matter’ movement throughout 2018 to 2023.
Thanks to the Trump administration and the ensuing MAGA effect, being outspoken, contrarian, polarising and explosive now usually garners engagement and discussion. Political correctness and sensitivity toward others used to be the standard, accepted approach to public relations ten years ago, but this has effectively been reversed in the years since.
As Nicki’s prominence in music starts to fall, it makes sense that she would try her hand in an entirely new lane like this, where she’s certain to be an immediate topic of discussion just by way of being herself. This article is evidence enough to suggest that this strategy works, and keeps celebrities in the spotlight when their cultural gravitas falls.
