Nicki Minaj is no stranger to controversy in music, but she is now the public face of a controversial foreign policy stance taken by President Donald Trump. On Tuesday, Minaj spoke at a United Nations event on behalf of the Trump administration, continuing to support Trump’s misleading claim about Christian persecution in Africa’s most populous nation, which could lead to dire consequences.
Minaj appeared with the US ambassador to the United Nations
TMZ reported Monday that Nicki Minaj was set to appear before the United Nations in New York with United States Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz in an event concerning the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Waltz had responded to previous rumors of Minaj’s appearance, calling her “not only arguably the greatest female recording artist, but also a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice” in a post on X, formerly Twitter. He indicated that he was excited about “standing with her as we discuss the steps the President and his administration are taking to end the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters.” Minaj responded to the ambassador, writing, “I am so grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude. I do not take it for granted. It means more than you know.”
Waltz confirmed Tuesday that he would appear with Minaj in New York, mentioning he was welcoming Minaj Tuesday afternoon “to the U.S. Mission for a special event moderated by Harris Faulkner.” Minaj was invited to speak about “President Trump’s priority to combat religious violence and the killing of Christians in Nigeria.”
As Rolling Stone reported, Minaj spread misleading claims during the event.
She said, “I would like to thank President Trump for prioritizing this issue and for his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria. Today, faith is under attack in way too many places in Nigeria. Christians are being targeted, driven from their homes, and killed. Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart, and entire communities live in fear constantly simply because of how they pray.”
The outlet noted that “Minaj, like Trump and his conservative comrades, is projecting a misconception that Christians in particular are being assailed in Nigeria.”
She added during her speech, “This is about standing up in the face of injustice. It’s about what I’ve always stood for my entire career, and I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life. I will care if anyone anywhere is being persecuted for their beliefs.”
Trump previously made misleading claims and threatens military action against Nigeria
As Blavity reported, Minaj drew mixed reactions for supporting Trump’s accusation that Christians are being persecuted and killed in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. While there have sometimes been clashes between Christians and Muslims, who each make up about half of the country’s population, reports of targeted killings of Christians distort the reality of violence in the country. An Islamist insurgency, Boko Haram, has operated for years in northern Nigeria, sometimes targeting Christians but mostly killing other Muslims who comprise the majority of the population in the northern half of the country, and the Nigerian government has spent years fighting the group. Trump’s accusations ignore these details, and the Trump administration has even threatened military intervention against Nigeria over the issue.
Questioning Minaj’s qualifications and motives
With news that Minaj was being given a platform to continue to push the Trump administration’s agenda, many questioned her qualifications for engaging in this topic. One X user posted, “I like some of the Nicki Minaj songs, wtf does she know about geopolitics,” with a GIF.
Others speculated about Minaj’s motives.
Someone wrote, “Nicki Minaj being used as a propaganda tool against my country because she’s broke, God what sort of punishment is this,” alongside a GIF.
There’s no indication that Minaj is having financial difficulties or that she’s receiving any compensation for her appearance. However, others are hoping that her support for Trump’s position will negatively impact her financially.
“I hope to see any artist who teams up with the Trump administration go financially broke. Looking at you Snoop Dogg & Nicki Minaj,” another X user shared.
While Minaj’s partnership with the Trump administration over its Nigeria agenda continues to generate controversy and criticism online, it has resulted in the rapper getting a high-profile political platform. For now, at least, Minaj continues to be an unexpected advocate for Trump’s questionable and potentially dangerous stance toward Nigeria.