Rapper Nicki Minaj Calls JD Vance An ‘Assassin’ In Chat With Erica Kirk, Quickly Corrects Herself

Last Updated:December 22, 2025, 09:43 IST

Nicki Minaj’s verbal slip was met with laughter before Charlie Kirk’s widow offered support.

Nicki Minaj speaks with Erika Kirk during AmericaFest, the first Turning Point USA summit since the death of Charlie Kirk, in Phoenix, Arizona, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)

The widow of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk stepped in to console rapper Nicki Minaj after a verbal slip during a public appearance on Sunday, turning an awkward moment into one of empathy and reassurance.

Minaj was speaking alongside Erika Kirk at a festival organised by Turning Point USA, the conservative youth movement founded by Charlie Kirk, when she mistakenly referred to US Vice President JD Vance as an “assassin" while praising conservative leadership.

“Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president, and you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president," Minaj said, before lowering the microphone, looking down and covering her mouth with her palm in visible embarrassment.

The rapper fell silent for several seconds as laughter rippled through the crowd. Erika Kirk then moved quickly to ease the moment.

“Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you’re fine… I love you. You have to laugh about it truly," Kirk told Minaj. “You say what you want to say, because I know your heart and I will not judge that."

Minaj thanked her and resumed her remarks after a brief pause.

Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative organiser and media personality, was shot dead in September during a Turning Point USA event at Utah Valley University in Orem, where he had been debating students. Kirk rose to national prominence as a vocal advocate of conservative politics on college campuses, building Turning Point USA into a powerful youth movement with close ties to Republican leadership. While widely influential on the American right, he was also a polarising figure, frequently criticised for his confrontational style, positions on immigration and race, and for amplifying culture-war rhetoric.

Following Minaj’s appearance, the White House shared a video clip from the event in which she said, “I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president." Minaj reposted the clip, adding two photographs of herself and the message: “My darling, you did it. We’re good. Love you."

Minaj has in recent months publicly aligned herself with Donald Trump, expressing admiration for his leadership and appearing at conservative-leaning platforms and events. Her statements have marked a clear political turn for the rapper, whose vocal support for Trump and the Republican leadership has drawn both applause from conservative audiences and criticism from segments of her fan base.

News world Rapper Nicki Minaj Calls JD Vance An ‘Assassin’ In Chat With Erica Kirk, Quickly Corrects Herself

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