Donald Trump turns heads with Nicki Minaj remark at Michigan rally - Newsweek

President Donald Trump made an unexpected remark about rapper Nicki Minaj’s appearance during a rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, briefly turning attention away from his midterm campaign message.

After revisiting recent remarks he had made about GOP Ohio Senate incumbent Jon Husted’s physique, Trump said: “I looked at his [Husted’s] ass. I’ve never done that with a man before. Off the record, women, yes. Men, no.”

Trump then turned his attention to Minaj, an ally of the president who traveled on Air Force One to attend and speak at the rally.

“By the way, I’ve looked at one hell of a beautiful ass before,” Trump said before pointing toward the rapper, “Nicki Minaj! That’s hard to miss! Stand up. That's hard to miss."

As she stood to a roar from the crowd, the president pumped his fist, then concluded, "I'm going to get back to my story. I hope Nicki wasn't insulted. We love Nicki. She's been with us for a long time."

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a professor of communication at the University of Pennsylvania, said Trump’s off-the-cuff delivery is more conversational than his typically flat and hurried teleprompter delivery. She added that Minaj’s reaction helped cue the audience on how to interpret the president’s remarks.

“Minaj treats his commentary as a compliment, which invites the immediate audience to assume that they should interpret it in the same way,” Jamieson told Newsweek via email.

Trump also referenced the attention surrounding his recent comments about male politicians’ bodies, joking to Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers that he would make a similar remark about him if it helped his electoral prospects."

"I've been living with this whole thing about the ass. Believe me! It’s of no interest to me! I'm willing to sacrifice. I'd say that about your ass too, Mike, if it gets you a guaranteed victory," the president quipped.

Trump's remarks quickly gained traction on social media.

Conservative commentator Eric Daugherty wrote on X, "Everyone is LOSING IT There will never be another like him. ZERO FILTER!!!"

Ron Filipkowski, a frequent Trump critic and editor-in-chief of MeidasTouch.com, wrote on X, "So Trump’s closing argument is that high gas prices are good because his donors who run oil companies are making bank, Jon Husted has a nice ass but not quite as good as Nicki Minaj’s ass, after 7 months the Reflecting Pool is almost done, and we get a ballroom, arch and helipad."

Minaj’s appearance came amid an intensive stretch of campaigning for Trump, who has spent about 70 hours aboard Air Force One this month traveling between rallies as he seeks to bolster Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, according to The Associated Press.

The rapper is also part of a broader effort to bring celebrities into Trump’s campaign appearances. The AP reported that the White House aims to have Trump accompanied by a celebrity at each stop as he concludes his midterm campaign blitz. Other figures who have traveled with the president include boxing stars Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Evander Holyfield, retired NASCAR champion Richard Petty and influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul.

While the White House’s effort to bring celebrities such as Minaj onto the campaign trail is part of a broader strategy, one communication expert said Trump’s off-the-cuff remarks reflect a less calculated element of his political style.

Brian L. Ott, a distinguished professor of communication, media, journalism and film at Missouri State University, told Newsweek Sunday via email that Trump’s “frequent tangents, personal observations, and commentative asides are central to both his communication style and his appeal with his base.”

Ott said supporters can interpret those moments as “a mark of authenticity,” while Trump’s willingness to break conventional political norms also helps capture attention.

“It’s worth emphasizing that this feature of the President’s rhetoric is not strategic,” Ott said. “Donald Trump has no filter. He says whatever he is thinking at a particular moment.”

Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, also addressed the Michigan crowd, offering an enthusiastic endorsement of Trump and urging voters to support Republican candidates in the state.

“I am so honored to be working with this president,” Minaj said, praising Trump’s “resilience” and saying he had “changed the energy of our country.”

The rapper also urged the crowd to support Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers in his race against Abdul El-Sayed, and GOP Congressman John James, who is running for governor against Jocelyn Benson. Minaj led chants of their names and described Michigan as an important battleground for Trump’s political movement.

“We really need all of these great people to be elected because this is a major turning point for our country,” Minaj said.

Minaj later turned to transgender issues involving children, saying she did not want children “bombarded with sex changes” and calling for adults to “leave the children alone.”

She concluded by pledging her continued support for Trump: “It is an honor to stand with you every single time. And I will continue to support you forever and ever. If you run again, I will support you again.”

Minaj is one of the most-prominent entertainers to publicly align herself with the president during his second term.

In January, Minaj shared a photo on X showing what the Trump administration calls a “Trump Gold Card,” which officials say provides an expedited path to U.S. residency. As recently as 2024, Minaj said publicly that she was not a U.S. citizen.

The rapper posted the image on social media with the caption "Welp..." following a Treasury Department–hosted event in Washington announcing “Trump Accounts,” a new government-backed savings initiative for newborns.

Speaking at the event, Minaj declared herself “probably the president’s No. 1 fan." She dismissed backlash over her support for Trump, saying it has only strengthened her resolve.

“The hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all,” Minaj told the audience. “It actually motivates me to support him more.”

In multiple interviews and public appearances, Minaj has explained her support in personal terms rather than policy-heavy ones. In a February 2026 interview on The Katie Miller Podcast, the rapper said she was moved by what she described as Trump being "bullied" and subjected to smear campaigns, which she said mirrored how she feels she has been treated in her own career.

That shift has drawn intense reaction, including from fans who say they feel alienated by her political views, while others have indicated that Minaj’s political activity has prompted them to vote Republican.

Earlier Sunday, White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a video interviewing Minaj aboard Air Force One as the president traveled to Michigan. Minaj praised Trump during the exchange.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary! @NICKIMINAJ,” Cheung wrote alongside the video.

The White House responded on X with an “eyes” emoji. Minaj later responded with an American flag emoji and a grinning face with sweat emoji.

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.