Minaj was a surprise guest at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Arizona, on December 21, where she shared the stage with Erika Kirk. During her remarks, Minaj attempted to praise what she described as strong conservative role models for young men — but one comment quickly sparked outrage.
While naming figures she admired, Minaj included former president Donald Trump and current vice president JD Vance. However, she then mistakenly referred to Vance as an “assassin,” before abruptly stopping mid-sentence and realizing her error.
The comment landed awkwardly because Erika Kirk’s husband, Charlie Kirk, was assassinated while answering questions at a Turning Point event earlier this year. The room reportedly fell silent as Minaj covered her mouth, recognizing the gravity of the slip.
Kirk quickly stepped in to support Minaj, brushing off the remark and encouraging her to laugh it off. She told the crowd that she knew Minaj’s heart and did not judge her for misspeaking, calling her “an amazing woman” with good intentions.
Despite that show of grace on stage, the reaction online was far less forgiving. On Twitter, critics slammed the moment as “an absolutely massive f**kup” and “absurdity at its finest.” Others focused less on the gaffe and more on Minaj’s open praise of Trump and Vance, accusing the rapper of being out of touch.
One viral post read: “Nicki Minaj calling Trump and JD Vance ‘down to earth’ and ‘one of us’ tells me everything I need to know about how far celebrity wealth can detach someone from reality.”
Soon after the backlash intensified, fans noticed that Minaj’s Instagram page appeared to be gone entirely. While there’s no confirmation that the deletion is directly linked to the Turning Point controversy, the timing raised eyebrows.
Some longtime fans pointed out that Minaj frequently deactivates her account. She last took it down in October and has done so multiple times over the years. Still, many believe she may have briefly reactivated it ahead of the event before deleting it altogether this time.
Supporters were quick to argue that the backlash — and even losing followers — won’t hurt her career. One fan wrote, “Yesterday, she had more streams than Cardi and Megan combined. I think she’ll be ok losing some lefty fans.” Another added bluntly, “She don’t care! She rich …”
For now, Minaj has not publicly addressed either the criticism or her missing Instagram account. Whether the deletion is temporary or permanent, the episode has once again shown how quickly political comments can ignite controversy — especially when they come from one of music’s biggest stars.
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