Top-rated rapper and songstress Nicki Minaj sparked a flurry of reactions on X on Thursday after publicly praising
Vice President J.D. Vance, applauding his debate skills and leaning into online speculation about his political future.
“Nothing brings me joy like the Vance memes & knowing he leaned into it like a boss,” Minaj
wrote. “Top Tier Comedy. Character = 100. But make no mistake, Vance is an assassin. Don’t debate him.
On anything. Quick as a computer. Maybe quicker.”
Minaj was referring to viral memes that depict Vance with an oversized, cartoonish head, images that have circulated
online for months.
Rather than distancing himself from the joke, Vance embraced it, even dressing as the meme for Halloween.
Minaj’s comments come months after she drew attention for praising the Trump administration’s response to what she described
as the genocide of Christians in Nigeria.
“We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other,” Minaj wrote
at the time. “Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous
to pretend we don’t notice. Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God
bless every persecuted Christian.”
Vance continued the exchange Wednesday by weighing in on a long-running rivalry in hip-hop culture, posting, “Nicki >
Cardi.”
Minaj responded Thursday with, “The Vance > The Gav Nots,” a remark widely interpreted as a jab at
California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The online back-and-forth drew in U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, who amplified Vance’s post and
referenced Minaj’s fanbase by writing, “VP of the Barbs!”
And Nicki was not done with the posts skewering Newsom and praising President Donald Trump and Vice President
Vance.
Newsom has not yet responded, but Minaj is the second big-name entertainer in less than a week to
shun the Democratic governor following criticism from A-list actress Halle Berry.
