Nicki Minaj had an awkward slip-up onstage during Turning Point USA’s annual AmericaFest event over the weekend.
The rapper appeared with Erika Kirk to close the convention in Phoenix on Sunday, Dec. 21. The two walked out hand in hand, then sat down for a wide-ranging conversation touching on politics, religion and more.
Minaj, 43, drew attention when she offered warm words for President Donald Trump and his administration. Addressing the audience, she said: “Dear young men, you have amazing role models, like our handsome, dashing president. And you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president.”
Almost immediately, Minaj seemed to register what she’d said. She froze, went silent for several seconds and covered her mouth with her hand in apparent shock.
Erika, 37, smoothed over the moment with a laugh, telling Minaj, “Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard.”
Minaj stayed quiet a beat longer before turning emotional and telling Erika, “I love you.”
Erika returned the sentiment and encouraged her to brush it off. “You have to laugh about it,” she said. “Truly, I have been called every single thing. And you know what? God is so good.”
Erika became the CEO of Turning Point after her husband, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed during a TPUSA event on the campus of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. He was 31.
At this year’s AmericaFest, one of the headline attractions was a photo op inside a recreation of the booth where Charlie was murdered.
Minaj’s presence at the conservative gathering may have surprised some viewers, but she has increasingly spoken positively about Trump and his administration in recent months.
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” she told Erika. “I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope.”
Discussing why she supports him, Minaj said she had reached a breaking point.
“I just got tired of being pushed around,” she said. “I have something inside of me that’s stronger than what’s out there. 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.”
Last month, the “Super Bass” performer also thanked Trump while delivering a speech to the United Nations about religious violence in Nigeria.
Minaj opened her remarks on Nov. 18 by saying, “I would like to thank President Trump for prioritizing this issue and his leadership on the global stage in calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria and to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to express their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”
“Music has taken me around the globe. I have seen how people, no matter their language, culture or religion, come alive when they hear a song that touches their soul,” she continued. “Religious freedom means we all can sing our faith regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we believe. But today, faith is under attack in way too many places.”
