Rapper Nicki Minaj is under fire after she publicly thanked current U.S. President Donald Trump for his recent threats of military intervention targeted at Islamist terrorist groups in Nigeria. Trump had claimed that the West African nation was allowing “Islamic terrorists” to kill Christians, vowing swift military action if the alleged violence continued.
In a Truth Social post over the weekend, Trump declared:
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Minaj appeared to endorse his message by sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post on her social media page, adding:
“No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other. Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror, and it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice.”
She further expressed gratitude to Trump and his administration, writing,
“Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.”
Trump’s Comments Stir International Concern
Trump’s remarks, made between October 31 and November 1, referred to Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act. He claimed over 3,000 Christians had been killed by extremist groups like Boko Haram and Fulani militants this year alone. The current president threatened to halt U.S. aid and authorize “military defense of Christians worldwide.”
However, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu responded by noting that violence in Nigeria affects “people across faiths and regions.” The country, which is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims, has faced years of communal conflict linked to land disputes, poverty, and terrorism — not a government-led religious war. While Christian communities have indeed suffered disproportionately from attacks by groups like Boko Haram (with over 3,000 Christian deaths reported in 2025 by organizations such as Open Doors and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom), violence also impacts Muslims, including intra-Muslim clashes and farmer-herder disputes where both faiths are affected. Trump's claims of an "existential threat" to Christians are supported by these reports but have been criticized for oversimplifying the multifaceted drivers of conflict.
Nicki Minaj’s post quickly went viral, drawing millions of views and sparking a wave of criticism. Many Nigerians accused her of being misinformed and insensitive to the country’s complex internal issues. Others argued that she appeared to support foreign interference in African affairs.
Nicki Minaj Responds to the Backlash
As the outrage grew, Minaj defended her stance on X (formerly Twitter), saying:
“Imagine hearing that Christians are being MURDERED & making it about you being gay. I’ll always speak up for anyone being persecuted — Christian, Muslim, gay, whatever.”
Her clarification did little to calm critics, who argued that her words oversimplified Nigeria’s situation and gave legitimacy to Trump’s aggressive rhetoric.
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