Nicki Minaj offered an emphatic defense of President Donald Trump during a sit-down with Lara Trump, saying, “the truth is everyone loves him” even if some people feel they have to pretend otherwise. The rapper also criticized Democrats’ relationships with celebrities and their treatment of Black voters who break with the party. Before the interview ended, she urged young Americans to research the candidates on their ballots and “vote red.”
The conversation aired on “My View with Lara Trump” on Saturday, September 26th, ahead of the November midterm elections. Lara Trump asked Minaj about her support for the president, her view of Democrats, her efforts to help students, and whether fans could expect new music. Minaj’s answers ranged from a pointed assessment of party politics to a story about paying her fans’ tuition.
Asked about Trump, Minaj called him “a very authentic person” and said he had always been himself. “People pretend now that they have an issue with him, but the truth is everyone loves him,” she said. “They have to act like they don’t.” Minaj said she understood the politics involved, but argued that the public image of widespread personal dislike didn’t match what she had seen.
The Mirror covered Minaj’s praise for Trump. Lara asked what Minaj had seen from Democrats that made her question whether the party had her interests or the country’s interests in mind. “I think the Democrats have gotten way too caught up in pop culture, for lack of a better term,” Minaj replied. She accused party figures of letting their relationships with artists lead them to act “so petty and childish,” and said those artists were often looking after their own egos.
The discussion turned to whether some Americans vote Democratic because they feel expected to do so. Minaj said Black voters in particular had long felt they “should just vote blue,” though she believes that’s changing. She argued that Democrats often respond harshly when Black people question a candidate or explain why they might choose someone else. “So you only love me and respect me when I do as you say and don’t ask any questions,” she said, describing the message she believes voters take from those types of reactions.
Lara also asked about Minaj’s practice of helping fans with education costs. Minaj said it began during an impromptu exchange on Twitter, when she asked followers to show her their grades and offered to pay tuition for students who did. She called the effort “Student of the Game” and said some recipients still post their bachelor’s or master’s degrees years later. Minaj said she hopes to establish a foundation that would let others contribute to the cause.
Watch Minaj discuss Trump in the interview here:
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Minaj explained her interest in Trump Accounts, the investment accounts for children that Lara raised during the interview. She said children often learn about financial matters too late and liked the prospect of families putting money into an account from an early age. By adulthood, she said, a young person could have both funds available and a reason to learn about investing. She added that her fans had responded favorably to the idea.
When Lara asked for a message to young voters, Minaj told them their voices were needed and encouraged them to look beyond presidential races. “Think about, you know, how much you want a say in what happens, and realize that the only way to have that is by voting,” she said, mentioning local elections as well. She urged viewers to research the candidates in their area before making a choice. Her final instruction was even more direct: “Please, and vote red now.”
Minaj said criticism wouldn’t stop her from speaking to her fans, telling detractors they could block her or stop following her. After The interview she drew sharp responses on Reddit, known for it’s left-leaning bias, where a commenter said, “I don’t know a single person who likes, let alone ‘loves’ Trump…and for this, I am eternally grateful.” Another commented, “Yes, he’s definitely an authentic felon; an authentic con man,” while a third wrote, “The smart people got on the repub grifting train like 6 years ago.” Another said, “Grasping on to relevancy from anyone who will take her.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.