Nicki Minaj praises "handsome" Trump and "assassin" Vance alongside Erika Kirk
Phoenix, Arizona - Rapper Nicki Minaj went all-in on her MAGA allegiance at the final day of Turning Point USA's AmericaFest conference on Sunday.
The 43-year-old musician joined Erika Kirk, the widow of late far-right commentator Charlie Kirk, to close out the conference.
Minaj gushed over President Donald Trump, saying that she has the "utmost respect and admiration" for him, per People.
She further praised Trump as "handsome" and "dashing," but Minaj suffered a bit of a faux pas when it came to gushing over Vice President JD Vance.
Calling on young men to look up to Vance and Trump, she said, "And you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president."
Minaj seemed to acknowledge the blunder of using that descriptor next to Kirk, whose husband was killed by a gunman at a debate event in September.
But the 37-year-old made it clear she wasn't offended, telling Minaj, "Trust me, there's nothing new under the sun that I have not heard."
Elsewhere in the chat, the Starships rapper explained why she has decided to go public with her staunch support for the Trump administration.
Nicki Minaj goes full MAGA with Turning Point USA appearance
Minaj explained that she was "tired of being pushed around," adding, "So when you've had enough, you realize, 'Wait a minute, why do I even care about these people and what they think? Who are they?'
"They don't even know who they are. So I'm not going to back down anymore. I'm not going to back down ever again," she continued.
Minaj even parroted Trump's criticisms of Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom, repeating the president's favorite dig of calling him "New-scum."
The Grammy winner previously expressed pro-choice views and support for the LGBTQ+ community, and in 2016, she appeared to criticize Trump's aggressive deportation policies on the track Black Barbies.
Minaj, who is Trinidadian, rapped on the track, "Island girl, Donald Trump want me go home."
But by 2021, Minaj had sparked controversy for promoting vaccine skepticism, and just last month, she spoke at an event hosted by the US embassy to the United Nations, where she heavily praised Trump.
Cover photo: Collage: Caylo Seals / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

