Trinidad-born rapper Nicki Minaj openly declared herself President Donald Trump’s “number one fan” on Wednesday, using a Treasury Department event to praise the former president and urge supporters to defend him against “smear campaigns.”
Flashing her signature glittery, two-inch nails, Minaj, 43, held Trump’s hand on stage and told the audience, “I am probably the president’s number one fan, and that’s not going to change.” She added that critics and online detractors only motivate her to show stronger support. “The hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all,” she said. “It actually motivates me to support him more.”
The hip-hop star, known for her fierce independence and chart-topping hits such as Super Bass and Beez in the Trap, received a kiss on the cheek from Trump before delivering her remarks. “We’re not going to let them get away with bullying him,” Minaj told the crowd. “And you know, the smear campaigns, it’s not going to work. He has a lot of force behind him and God is protecting him. Amen.”
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 28, 2026
Minaj’s appearance came as she contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the newly launched “Trump Accounts” for children, federal investment accounts seeded with $1,000 for each newborn. Speaking about the initiative, Minaj emphasized financial literacy: “[There’s] almost nothing greater than teaching financial literacy to young people,” she said. Reflecting on her own upbringing, she added, “I got out of high school and I thought everything was just going to be smooth sailing, but I realized quickly, ‘No, I have to work.’ I had to figure things out on my own if I wanted to live a certain way. And that’s what I did. But if I had access to something like this, my whole life would have been different.”
Trump, 79, returned the admiration with a compliment of his own, joking about Minaj’s nails: “I am going to let my nails grow, because I love those nails.” The pair held hands on stage for roughly 30 seconds as Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary of Shark Tank also addressed the audience.
Though Minaj never endorsed Trump in his three presidential campaigns, she has publicly praised him in the past, including last year for defending Nigerian Christians facing violence from Islamic extremists.
Hours after taking the stage, the rapper shared a photo on X showing her holding a gold card featuring Trump’s face, his signature, and the words “45th & 47th President of the United States.”
Her caption? A single, understated word: “Welp…”
Welp… pic.twitter.com/c5v8ztVVLR
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 28, 2026
The card closely mirrors the branding of Trump’s Gold Card initiative — an immigration program launched by executive order in September 2025 that gives wealthy foreigners a fast-track route to U.S. residency and citizenship in exchange for a $1 million federal contribution.
Wednesday’s event marked a highly visible show of support from the pop culture star, blending politics, celebrity, and advocacy for youth financial empowerment.
