PoliticsNicki Minaj Thirsts Over 'Handsome, Dashing' President Donald Trump and 'Amazing Assassin' J.D. Vance at Surprise Turning Point Conference Appearance
Nicki Minaj stunned the crowd at Turning Point USA’s event after praising Donald Trump and J.D. Vance.
Dec. 22 2025, Published 7:20 a.m. ET
Nicki Minaj turned heads with her unexpected praise for Donald Trump and J.D. Vance during a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest.
On Sunday, December 21, the rapper joined Erika Kirk onstage at the Phoenix Convention Center, where she openly shared her admiration for both the president and vice president while addressing the crowd. At one point, the new CEO of Turning Point USA asked Minaj to speak directly to young men in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death on September 10.
Charlie was allegedly killed by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
“Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president,” the “Side to Side” singer said. “And you have amazing role models like the assassin, J.D. Vance.”
Nicki Minaj praised Donald Trump and J.D. Vance onstage.
“This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president, he makes me … well, I love both of them,” the singer added. “Both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to.”
The rapper's comments created an awkward pause in the crowd.
The comment immediately sparked an uncomfortable pause in the room, leaving the crowd visibly stunned.
After what felt like a long beat, Erika jumped in to smooth over the moment.
“Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you’re fine,” she told a visibly stressed Nicki.
The exchange only grew stranger as Erika then launched into a heartfelt defense of the rapper.
“You have to laugh about it, truly,” Erika said. “This is what’s so beautiful about this moment, because if the internet wants to clip it, who cares? I love this woman; she’s an amazing woman, she has a soul and a heart for the Lord, and words are words, but I know her heart, and it doesn’t even matter. And you say what you want to say because I know your heart.”
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Erika Kirk stepped in to make the moment less awkward.
Nicki’s comments marked a notable shift from her past public stance. In 2018, she was among several celebrities who spoke out against Donald’s zero-tolerance immigration policy, which separated more than 5,000 children from their families at the U.S.-Mexico border.
At the time, she shared her own experience of coming to America at age 5, describing herself as an “illegal immigrant.”
“This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now?” she wrote on Instagram.
She later reflected on Donald’s first term, explaining her hesitation to support him politically.
“I’m not gonna jump on the Donald Trump bandwagon,” she said when asked about the president. “I don’t like that. I get that a lot of people don’t like him for obvious reasons. But, what stuck with me was the children being taken away from their parents when they came into this country. That really bothered me because I was one of those immigrant children coming to America to flee poverty."
Nicki Minaj previously criticized Donald Trump.
“And I couldn’t imagine a little child going through all of that, trying to get to another country because they didn’t have money in their country, or whether you’re fleeing from war … and then being taken away from the one person that makes you feel comfort. That is what really raised my eyebrows. That is what made me go, ‘Something about this doesn’t sit right in my spirit.’ But! On Celebrity Apprentice, I think he was funny as h---,” the “Tukoh Taka” hitmaker added.
On Sunday, while back on stage with Erika, Nicki simply said, “It’s OK to change your mind.”
