Erika Kirk brings out Nicki Minaj as special guest at Turning Point’s AmericaFest convention

PHOENIX — Turning Point USA leader Erika Kirk brought out Nicki Minaj as a surprise guest on Sunday, the final day of the organization’s 2025 AmericaFest convention.

The video introduction for the female rapper highlighted not only her successful career, but also her notoriety for speaking out to defend Christians in Nigeria and the praise she gave President Donald Trump for standing up against the issue.

“Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides,” Minaj said in the video. “This is about standing up in the face of injustice.”

The Phoenix Convention Center then erupted in cheers as Kirk and Minaj walked out hand in hand while the rapper’s song “Super Bass” played.

Nicki Minaj shares her thoughts on President Donald Trump at AmericaFest

Despite previously condemning Trump, Minaj called him and Vice President JD Vance “role models” for young men.

Minaj also mocked California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to him as New-scum, a nickname Trump gave him, and expressed admiration for the Republican president and Vance, who Kirk endorsed on the first day of the convention.

“This administration is full of people with heart and soul, and they make me proud of them. Our vice president, he makes me … well, I love both of them,” Minaj said. “Both of them have a very uncanny ability to be someone that you relate to.”

Minaj said she was tired of being “pushed around,” and added that speaking your mind with different ideas is controversial because “people are no longer using their minds.” Kirk thanked Minaj for being “courageous,” despite the backlash she is receiving from the entertainment industry for expressing support for Trump.

“I didn’t notice,” Minaj said. “We don’t even think about them.”

“We don’t have time to,” Kirk added. “We’re too busy building, right?”

“We’re the cool kids,” Minaj said.

In 2018, Minaj was one of several celebrities condemning Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy that split more than 5,000 children from their families at the Mexico border. Back then, the Trinidadian-born rapper shared her own story of arriving to the country at 5 years old, describing herself as an “illegal immigrant.”

“This is so scary to me. Please stop this. Can you try to imagine the terror & panic these kids feel right now?” she posted then on Instagram.

On Sunday on stage with Erika Kirk, Minaj said, “It’s OK to change your mind.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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