Nicki Minaj isn't just praising President Donald Trump. She's campaigning with him.
The rapper flew aboard Air Force One with Trump to Michigan on Sunday, Oct. 25, and took the stage at his Port Huron rally to stump for Republicans ahead of the midterms
. Her appearance marked the latest chapter in a striking political shift for Minaj, who once criticized Trump's policies but now calls herself his "No. 1 fan."The two went campaigning for the former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, who is facing off against former Detroit health director Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, as well as GOP Rep. John James, who is vying against Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's seat.
During his nearly two-hour appearance, Trump thanked Minaj for
being there and praised her "beautiful" backside while introducing her, saying "That's hard to miss."
"I hope Nicki wasn't insulted, but we love Nicki. She's been with us for a long time," Trump said as Minaj rose from her seat and waved to the crowd.
He also joked about the "Pink Friday" artist overshadowing him.
"You know, I don't like being overshadowed, and this woman overshadows me, and I'm angry about it. They're going crazy over her," Trump said.
Minaj returned the praise during a brief speech, leading the crowd in chants of "We love Trump."
"President Trump, it is an honor to stand with you every single time, and I will continue to support you forever and ever. If you run again, I will support you again," she said.
The 22nd Amendment bars a person from being elected president more than twice.
Here's what to know about Minaj's evolution from a critic of Trump's policies to one of his most prominent celebrity supporters.
Minaj's switch to MAGA
While Minaj has appeared with Trump at a White House Rose Garden luncheon and other administration events, she didn't always back the president. She was previously critical of Trump's immigration policies during his first term and had publicly supported the LGBTQ+ community, USA TODAY previously reported.
In November 2025, after Trump announced possible military action against the Nigerian government over what he called "the killing of Christians," Minaj publicly praised Trump for his stance on the "existential threat" facing Christianity in Nigeria, before joining Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz to speak about the issue. In the months leading to that, Minaj shared multiple posts complimenting Trump, his family and his policies.
She also spoke with Charlie Kirk's widow Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's America Fest the following month in December 2025. “We're the cool kids,” Minaj said to Kirk, whose husband was assassinated in a Utah campus shooting in September.
She added the political right is the side that’s “joyful and peaceful and iconic and smart” and cast the left as angry and “disgruntled with themselves."
In January, Minaj made her first appearance at the White House for the Trump Accounts event, a savings accounts for children born between 2025 and 2028 and pledged to donate hundreds of thousands to her fans, as she declared herself Trump's biggest fan.
"That's not going to change," she said at the DC event.
As for Trump, he's a fan of Minaj, too: "I've been hearing so much over the years because I didn't know Nicki and I've been hearing over the years, she's a big Trump supporter and Trump fan and she took a little heat on occasion," Trump said at the same event.
Minaj's 'gold card'
Since then, Minaj has attended several White House events, including the premiere of first lady Melania Trump's documentary "Melania."
In an interview with Time published May 13, Minaj said she had supported Trump for years but had been reluctant to speak publicly because of potential backlash within the entertainment industry.
"Many celebrities feel the way I do, but they don't say it," she said. "Sometimes, you just need one brave person to get the brunt of the impact. I think I am the catalyst for that change."
Minaj, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, has also publicly discussed her immigration history and citizenship status. In a 2018 Facebook post, she said she came to the United States illegally as a child. In January, she said on X that she was "finalizing that citizenship paperwork"
She also displayed what she described as a "gold card," although the White House later told The Hill that the card was a memento and not a visa document.
The Grammy Award-nominated rapper has not publicly confirmed completing the citizenship process, and it remains unclear whether she has since become a U.S. citizen.
USA TODAY has reached out to Minaj's representative for comment.
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Jonathan Limehouse, Taijuan Moorman, KiMi Robinson, Jay Stahl / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Nicki Minaj is campaigning with Trump
