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Nicki Minaj praised Vice President JD Vance for his message against divisive zero-sum thinking at AmericaFest. Her on-stage slip calling him 'assassin' sparked reactions but underscored cultural tensions.
The Vice President argued that such thinking challenged a zero-sum worldview. (Photo: Reuters)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Dec 23, 2025 00:07 IST
A day after rapper Nicki Minaj briefly misspoke on stage and referred to Vice President JD Vance as an "assassin" at Turning Point USA event, he praised the rapper for profound intervention into America’s increasingly polarised cultural debate.
In a post on X on Monday, Vance pointed at a section of Minaj’s remarks at AmericaFest that he said cut through years of divisive thinking.
"Nicki Minaj said something at AmFest that was really profound," Vance wrote. "Just because I want little black girls to think they’re beautiful doesn’t mean I need to put down little girls with blonde hair and blue eyes."
The Vice President argued that such thinking challenged a zero-sum worldview, where one group’s recognition is framed as another’s loss.
"We all got wrapped up over the last few years in zero-sum thinking," he added. "This was because the people who think they rule the world pit us against one another. Nicki Minaj rejects that. We all should."
MINAJ ON FINDING HER VOICE
Minaj appeared at the conservative conference alongside Turning Point USA chief executive Erika Kirk, where she spoke at length about her decision to take a more outspoken political position.
The rapper praised President Donald Trump and criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom. She said the shift came after years of holding back.
"I just got tired of being pushed around," Minaj said during the discussion. "I have something inside of me that’s stronger than what’s out there."
She added that reaching a breaking point had changed how she viewed criticism and public pressure. "When you’ve had enough, you realise, wait a minute, why do I even care about these people and what they think? Who are they?" she said. "I’m not going to back down anymore. I’m not going to back down ever again."
THE ON-STAGE GAFFE
The spotlight sharpened when Minaj spoke directly to the audience, praising political figures she said offered young men strong role models. While doing so, she called JD Vance assassin.
"Dear young men, you have amazing role models, like our handsome, dashing president," she said, before adding, "and you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president."
Realising her mistake, Minaj fell silent, covering her mouth in shock. The pause lingered before Kirk stepped in to ease the tension.
"Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you’re fine," Kirk told her. "You have to laugh about it truly."
AmericaFest has been hosted annually by Turning Point USA since 2021 and has become a major gathering point for conservative activists, politicians and media figures. This year’s line-up includes commentators and leaders such as Ben Shapiro, Tucker Carlson and Vivek Ramaswamy.
At this year’s AmericaFest, one of the main attractions is a photo opportunity inside a recreation of the booth where Charlie Kirk was killed.
Ericka Kirk became chief executive after her husband, Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University on September 10. He was 31.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Dec 23, 2025
