From Undocumented Immigrant To Trump’s “Number One Fan” – Nicki Minaj Embraces MAGA Spotlight

By NAN ET EDITOR

News Americas, Washington, D.C., Jan. 28, 2026: Trinidad and Tobago–born rapper Nicki Minaj is now publicly embracing former President Donald Trump – calling herself his “No. 1 fan” and dismissing criticism of her political turn as motivation rather than deterrence.

“I will say that I am probably the president’s No. 1 fan,” Minaj told the crowd Wednesday at a U.S. Treasury Department–hosted summit in Washington, D.C., marking the launch of so-called “Trump Accounts,” a new tax-advantaged savings program for children.

US President Donald Trump (R) greets Trinidadian rapper and singer-songwriter Nicki Minaj during an event on ‘Trump Accounts’ at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC, on January 28, 2026. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images)

“And that’s not going to change,” the 43-year-old performer added.

Minaj, born Onika Maraj, said backlash over her support has only strengthened her resolve. “The hate or what people have to say does not affect me at all. It actually motivates me to support him more,” she said. “We’re not going to let them get away with bullying him and smear campaigns.”

Her remarks came just ahead of Trump’s own speech at the event, where she claimed divine protection over the former president. “He has a lot of force behind him, and God is protecting him,” she said.

A Sharp Turn From 2020

Nicki Minaj laughs during remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump at the Treasury Department’s Trump Accounts Summit with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (L) at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Minaj’s endorsement marks a striking reversal from her public stance during Trump’s first term. In 2020, she said she would not “jump on the Donald Trump bandwagon,” and had previously spoken openly about coming to the United States as an undocumented child.

In a widely shared 2018 post, Minaj criticized family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border, writing that she herself entered the country without legal status as a child.

“I came to this country as an illegal immigrant,” she wrote at the time. “I can’t imagine the horror of being in a strange place & having my parents stripped away from me at the age of 5.”

She urged authorities then to stop the practice, calling it “so scary” and pleading for compassion toward children detained at the border.

Rising MAGA Visibility

Nicki Minaj (L) joins U.S. President Donald Trump on stage as he delivers remarks during the Treasury Department’s Trump Accounts Summit at Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium on January 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Minaj’s appearance at the Treasury summit is part of a broader pattern of increasingly visible alignment with conservative causes. She recently appeared at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest and has spoken favorably of Trump during interviews and public events – a shift that has drawn both praise and backlash, including online calls for her deportation.

“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” Minaj said at a recent event. “He’s given so many people hope.”

The rapper has also drawn attention for public feuds, including a recent clash with former CNN host Don Lemon, whom she criticized on social media.

Some have suggested her embrace of the president is to help her brother and husband, who have faced legal challenges, obtain a pardon. Her husband, Kenneth Petty previously served four years in prison as a Level 2 sex offender after he was found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl, whom he held at knifepoint, in 1994.

Her brother, Jelani Maraj, has also faced legal issues. In 2017, Maraj, then 38, was convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl at his Long Island residence. Maraj said the accusations were invented by the victim’s mother to go after Minaj’s family’s fortune. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in 2020.

What Are “Trump Accounts”?

The summit focused on the launch of Trump Accounts, a provision included in last year’s tax legislation. The program provides a $1,000 government contribution for U.S.-citizen newborns, invested in stock market index funds and accessible when the child turns 18 for approved uses such as education, home purchases, or starting a business.

Parents can contribute additional funds annually, with employers, relatives, and philanthropic organizations also allowed to participate. The accounts are managed by private financial firms and are subject to taxes upon withdrawal.

Trump argued the initiative would give children “real assets and a shot at financial freedom,” while critics say it favors families with the means to contribute and does little to address early childhood poverty.

Minaj did not address those criticisms directly but praised the initiative as expanding opportunity for future generations.