Hip-hop superstar Nicki Minaj has deactivated her Instagram account in the wake of a fierce public backlash against her surprise appearance at a major conservative conference in the United States.
Surprise Appearance Sparks Fury
The 43-year-old rapper made an unannounced appearance on Sunday 26 December 2025, the final day of Turning Point USA's four-day AmericaFest 2026 summit. During a conversation with the organisation's leader, Erika Kirk, Minaj voiced her newfound "respect and admiration" for former President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.
Her remarks, which included praising Trump as "handsome" and "dashing," triggered immediate and significant disappointment from a large portion of her fanbase. By Wednesday, her Instagram profile displayed the message: "Sorry, this page isn't available." It is worth noting that Minaj has temporarily quit the platform before, having also done so in October. Her account on X remains active.
A Stark Shift in Political Stance
Minaj's endorsement marks a dramatic shift from her previous criticism of Trump. In 2018, she was among celebrities condemning his administration's zero-tolerance immigration policy that led to family separations at the Mexico border. At the time, she shared her personal story of arriving in the US aged five, describing herself as an "illegal immigrant" and pleading, "This is so scary to me. Please stop this."
During the TPUSA event, she stated she was tired of being "pushed around" and suggested that expressing different ideas is now controversial because "people are no longer using their minds." Erika Kirk, who assumed leadership of TPUSA after the assassination of her husband Charlie Kirk in September, thanked Minaj for being "courageous" in the face of expected industry backlash.
Fan Reaction and Career Fallout
The reaction on social media has been overwhelmingly negative, with many fans accusing the Trinidadian-born artist of betraying her principles. Numerous comments suggested her change of heart was financially motivated.
Key fan reactions on X included:
- "If you needed money this badly, you should have just said that."
- "Your career is done."
- "You picked the wrong side!"
Minaj appeared to brush off the criticism during her talk, claiming she hadn't noticed the backlash and stating, "We don't even think about them." When Kirk added, "We're too busy building, right?" Minaj replied, "We're the cool kids." The Independent has contacted a representative for Nicki Minaj for comment.
