Why Nicki Minaj is campaigning with Trump

Why Nicki Minaj is campaigning with Trump. Saman Shafiq USA TODAY.

Key points

• She additionally spoke with Charlie Kirk's widow Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's America Fest the after month in December 2025.
• Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Jonathan Limehouse, Taijuan Moorman, KiMi Robinson, Jay Stahl / USA TODAY.
• President Donald Trump drew attention with remarks regarding Nicki Minaj "beautiful" backside during a rally stop in Port Huron, Michigan.
• The rapper flew aboard Air Force One with Trump to Michigan on Sunday, Oct.
• While Minaj has appeared with Trump at a White House Rose Garden luncheon and other administration events, she didn't always back the president.

Why Nicki Minaj is campaigning with Trump. Saman Shafiq USA TODAY. See Trump shoutout 'hard to miss' Nicki Minaj on stage.

Nicki Minaj isn't just praising President Donald Trump. She's campaigning with him.

Meanwhile, the rapper flew aboard Air Force One with Trump to Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 25, and took the stage at his Port Huron rally to stump for Republicans ahead of the midterms. Her appearance marked the latest chapter in a striking political shift for Minaj. This person once criticized Trump's policies but now calls herself his "No. 1 fan."

Notably, the two went campaigning for the former U.S. Rep. As well as GOP Rep, mike Rogers, who is facing off against former Detroit health director Democrat Abdul El-Sayed. John James, who is vying against Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's seat.

During his almost two-hour appearance, Trump thanked Minaj for being there and praised her "beautiful" backside while introducing her, saying "That's hard to miss."

"I hope Nicki wasn't insulted, but we love Nicki. She's been with us for a long time, " Trump remarked as Minaj rose from her seat and waved to the crowd. He additionally joked concerning the "Pink Friday" artist overshadowing him.

"You know, I don't like being overshadowed, and this woman overshadows me, and I'm angry regarding it. They're going crazy over her, " Trump remarked.

Minaj returned the praise during a brief speech, leading the crowd in chants of "We love Trump."

"President Trump, it is an honor to stand with you every single time, and I will continue to backing you forever and ever. If you run again, I will backing you again, " she stated.

For context, the 22nd Amendment bars a person from being elected president more than twice.

Here's what to know regarding Minaj's evolution from a critic of Trump's policies to one of his most prominent celebrity supporters. Minaj's switch to MAGA.

While Minaj has appeared with Trump at a White House Rose Garden luncheon and other administration events, she didn't always back the president. She was previously critical of Trump's immigration policies during his first term and had publicly backed the LGBTQ+ community, USA TODAY previously noted.

After Trump confirmed feasible military action against the Nigerian administration over what he called "the killing of Christians, " Minaj publicly praised Trump for his stance on the "existential threat" facing Christianity in Nigeria, before joining Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz to speak concerning the matter, in November 2025. In the months leading to that, Minaj shared multiple posts complimenting Trump, his family and his policies.

She additionally spoke with Charlie Kirk's widow Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's America Fest the after month in December 2025. "We're the cool kids, " Minaj remarked to Kirk, whose husband was assassinated in a Utah campus shooting in September.

She continued the political right is the side that's "joyful and peaceful and iconic and smart" and cast the left as angry and "disgruntled with themselves."

As she declared herself Trump's biggest fan, in January, Minaj created her first appearance at the White House for the Trump Accounts event, a savings accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028 and pledged to donate hundreds of thousands to her fans. "That's not going to change, " she remarked at the DC event.

As for Trump, he's a fan of Minaj, too: "I've been hearing so much over the years because I didn't know Nicki and I've been hearing over the years, she's a big Trump supporter and Trump fan and she took a little heat on occasion, " Trump remarked at the same event.

Since then, Minaj has attended a number of White House events, including the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's documentary "Melania."

In an interview with Time published May 13, Minaj remarked she had backed Trump for years but had been reluctant to speak publicly since of potential backlash within the entertainment industry.

"Many celebrities feel the way I do, but they don't say it, " she remarked. "Sometimes, you just need one brave person to obtain the brunt of the impact. I think I am the catalyst for that change."

Minaj, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, has additionally publicly discussed her immigration history and citizenship status. In a 2018 Facebook post, she remarked she came to the United States illegally as a child. In January, she remarked on X that she was "finalizing that citizenship paperwork".

She additionally displayed what she described as a "gold card, " although the White House afterwards informed The Hill that the card was a memento and not a visa document.

Notably, the Grammy Award-nominated rapper has not publicly confirmed completing the citizenship process, and it remains unclear whether she has since become a U.S. Citizen. USA TODAY has reached out to Minaj's representative for comment.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

In short, why Nicki Minaj is campaigning with Trump is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.