Nicki Minaj praises 'handsome' Donald Trump at Turning Point USA event – National

Rapper Nicki Minaj made an unexpected appearance at Turning Point USA's America Fest convention and was interviewed by Charlie Kirk's widow Erica Kirk.

The super bass rapper and Kirk, 37, stepped out holding hands before sitting down for a conversation in Phoenix to close out the first-ever America Fest convention on Sunday.

The four-day conference brought together members of the media, conservative activists and Republican leaders.

While attending the event, Minaj, 43, praised US President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, calling them “role models” for young men.

“This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and I'm so proud of them. Our vice president, he's me…well, I love both of them,” Minaj said. “They both have this very uncanny ability to be people you can relate to.”

“Dear young people, you have great role models like our handsome, dashing president. You also have great role models like assassin J.D. Vance, the vice president,” Minaj told the audience.

She quickly realized the word she had used to praise Vance's political skill – “assassin” – and covered her mouth with her hand to remain silent as the crowd murmured.

“Who cares if the internet wants to cut it out? I love this woman,” said Erica Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk after he was assassinated in September. “Believe me, there's nothing new under the sun that I haven't heard.”

“I love you,” Minaj said to Kirk.

Minaj also mocked California Governor Gavin Newsom by calling him “Newscam,” a nickname given to him by President Trump.

When Kirk asked Minaj for advice for young men, Minaj replied, “Don't be a newscam.”

“To the boys: Boys, be boys… There's nothing wrong with being a boy. How about that? How powerful is it? How deep is it? Boys will be boys, and there's nothing wrong with that,” she said.

“We need to teach them to be proud of the way they look, no matter what they look like,” Minaj continued. “I know my beauty and I don't need someone with blonde hair and blue eyes to discount that beauty.”

She went on to criticize messages that make any group feel like they are not good enough. “I don't want that to happen to any girl. I want every little girl in the world to know that you are unique and beautiful,” Minaj added.

The Grammy-nominated rapper's recent association with the Make America Great Again movement has drawn some attention because of his past criticism of Trump, including in 2018 when he criticized the president's zero-tolerance immigration policies and referred to himself as an “illegal immigrant.”

On Sunday, Minaj told the audience, “It's okay if you change your mind.”

“I have the utmost respect and admiration for the president,” the Starships rapper said. “I don't know if he knows this or not, but he has given hope to a lot of people.”

Minaj said she was tired of being “pushed around” and said it was controversial to speak her mind about different ideas because “people don't use their heads anymore.”

“There's something inside me that's stronger than what's outside. So when you get bored enough, you realize, 'Wait a minute, why should I 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 never going to back down again,'' Minaj said of her decision to support Trump.

Kirk thanked Minaj for her “courage” despite receiving “backlash” from the entertainment industry for expressing support for Trump.

“I didn't notice,” Minaj said. “We don't even think about them,” and Kirk said, “We don't have time for that. We're too busy building, aren't we?”

“We're the cool kids. Others are just still frustrated. They're mad at themselves,” Minaj said. “In a world that doesn't want us to think, we will think.”

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In response to some of Minaj's comments, Vance criticized X, saying, “Nicki Minaj said something very profound at Amfest. I'm paraphrasing, but she said, 'You don't have to put down little girls with blonde hair and blue eyes just because you want little black girls to think they're beautiful.'”

“For the past few years, we've all been stuck in zero-sum thinking because those who think they rule the world have pitted us against each other. @NickiMinaj rejects that. We all should.” he added.

Minaj made headlines last month when she spoke at a United Nations event hosted by the United States in response to President Trump's claims that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.

Minaj said she wanted to shine a spotlight on “deadly threats.”

She thanked President Trump for his leadership and called for urgent action to “protect Christians in Nigeria, combat extremism, and stop violence against people who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”

She spoke on a panel at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, along with U.S. Ambassador Mike Walz and religious leaders. The incident occurred after she responded to President Trump's social media post about Nigeria in early November, writing that “no group should be persecuted for practicing their religion.”

Minaj vowed to continue standing up “in the face of injustice” for those everywhere who are persecuted for their beliefs.

“Unfortunately, this problem is becoming more acute not only in Nigeria but also in many countries around the world,” she said.

Minaj said she wanted to make clear that protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people. “It's about bringing people together,” she said, adding that Nigeria is a “beautiful country with a deep faith tradition” that she can't wait to see.

—With files from The Associated Press

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