Former U.S. President and current President-elect Donald Trump has publicly expressed strong admiration for American rapper Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, better known as Nicki Minaj, describing her as “one of the greatest entertainers we have” and “a real talent who speaks her mind.”
The comment came during a wide-ranging interview with podcaster Patrick Bet-David on the PBD Podcast, released on February 19, 2026. When asked about influential cultural figures who have shown support or crossed paths with him, Trump singled out Nicki Minaj without prompting: “Nicki Minaj she’s fantastic. She’s one of the greatest. I mean, she’s tough, she’s smart, she speaks her mind, and she’s been very supportive. A real talent, a tremendous talent. People love her.”
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Trump’s praise follows Nicki Minaj’s public endorsement of him during the 2024 presidential campaign, when she posted on X (formerly Twitter) encouraging fans to vote for Trump and later performed at a rally in support of his candidacy. The rapper has been vocal about her support, citing personal reasons and a belief that Trump would be better for the country than his opponents.
The shout-out marks one of the most direct and positive mentions of a major hip-hop artist by Trump since his first presidency, when he also praised artists like Kanye West (Ye) and Lil Pump during campaign events.
By Ogungbayi Beedee Adeyemi
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