Talk about a bad nickname.
Hip-hop star Nicki Minaj was at a loss for words after realizing she made a major flub by dubbing Vice President JD Vance “The Assassin” while joining Erika Kirk on stage at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest on Sunday.
Minaj was Kirk’s surprise guest of honor when she took the stage in Phoenix, Arizona. The “Anaconda” rapper made the comment while rattling off compliments about the Trump Administration, including calling President Donald Trump “handsome” and “dashing.”
“And you have amazing role models like the assassin, JD Vance, our vice president. And when I say that—” Minaj said, before catching herself.
She then winced and held her left hand up to her mouth while closing her eyes. The crowd appeared to mostly laugh at the mistake, based on the audio captured by Fox News. Her ill-timed comment was made three months after TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at an event in Utah.
Minaj was then silent for the next 55 seconds as she appeared to collect herself. Kirk took the comment in stride and did her best to move past it quickly.
“Trust me, there’s nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you’re fine,” Kirk said.
She then told Minaj “I love you” after pulling the microphone away from her mouth for a moment.
Kirk then vouched for Minaj to the crowd.
You have to laugh about it. Truly, I have been called every single thing, and you know what? God is good. You let it roll right off your back, and that is what’s so beautiful about this moment because if the internet wants to clip it, who cares?
I love this woman. She’s an amazing woman. She has a soul and a heart for the Lord, and words are words. But I know her heart and it doesn’t even matter.
Minaj thanked her “sister” for having her back.
The rapper has been critical of several Democratic politicians in recent months, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Minaj on Sunday referred to the governor as “Newscum” — taking a page out of President Trump’s book.
Soon after Minaj and Kirk left the stage, Vance took the stage and said the Trump Administration had “relegated DEI to the dustbin of history.”
From now on, “you don’t have to apologize for being white anymore,” Vance said, and Asian Americans “don’t have to talk around your skin color when you’re applying for college.”
Watch above.
