Nicki Minaj Cites 'Bullying' of Trump, Not Policies, as Reason for Political Support

The rapper says she relates to the former president's treatment and that's why she's gotten more involved in conservative politics.

Feb. 2, 2026 at 6:23pm

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In an upcoming podcast interview, Nicki Minaj revealed that it was the 'bullying' and 'smear campaigns' faced by former President Donald Trump, rather than his specific policies, that inspired her to become more politically involved and publicly support him. Minaj said she felt Trump was being treated unfairly, similar to how she has been treated over the years, which pushed her to enter the political sphere.

Why it matters

Minaj's comments highlight how celebrity endorsements and political affiliations are often driven more by personal experiences of perceived mistreatment than by policy positions. Her support for Trump, despite disagreeing with some of his policies, underscores how the former president was able to cultivate a loyal following among some unlikely supporters.

The details

In preview clips from an upcoming podcast interview, Minaj told host Katie Miller that while religious freedom is important to her, her main motivation for supporting Trump was seeing 'how he was being treated, over and over and over.' Minaj said she felt a lot of the 'bullying and the smear campaigns and all of the lying' that Trump faced was similar to her own experiences, which 'pushed' her into the political sphere. The rapper also revealed that during the last presidential campaign, she texted someone saying 'This is a mistake' about something she saw, which made her want to get involved in politics.

  • Minaj's comments come ahead of the release of her full podcast interview on Tuesday, February 2, 2026.
  • Minaj appeared alongside Trump at his 'Trump Accounts Summit' a few days prior, where she declared herself the 'president's No. 1 fan.'

The players

Nicki Minaj

A popular American rapper who has recently become more publicly involved in conservative politics, citing her personal experiences with 'bullying' as the motivation rather than Trump's specific policy positions.

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States, who Minaj says she supports due to the 'bullying' and 'smear campaigns' he has faced, rather than his policy stances.

Katie Miller

The host of the podcast where Minaj discussed her political motivations in an upcoming interview.

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What they’re saying

“If I'm being honest, President Trump ... when I saw how he was being treated, over and over and over, I just couldn't handle it.”

— Nicki Minaj, Rapper

“I felt that a lot of that bullying and the smear campaigns and all of the lying, I felt that that had been done to me for so many years. And I was watching it in real time happen to someone else, and I didn't think he deserved it.”

— Nicki Minaj, Rapper

What’s next

Minaj's full podcast interview with Katie Miller is set to be released on Tuesday, February 2, 2026, where she is expected to provide more details on her political motivations and support for Trump.

The takeaway

Minaj's comments underscore how celebrity political affiliations are often driven more by personal experiences of perceived mistreatment than by specific policy positions, highlighting the complex and sometimes contradictory factors that can shape public figures' political leanings.