Nicki Minaj hits back at LGBTQ+ fans over pro Trump tweet backlash: ‘Imagine making it about you being gay’

Nicki Minaj has defended her decision to share a tweet praising Donald Trump, telling LGBTQ+ fans they are “blinded” by their “personal obsession with Trump” – before deleting her comments.

The rapper had posted a screenshot from Trump’s Truth Social account about violence against Christians in Nigeria, which read: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.’”

Minaj said the message gave her “a deep sense of gratitude” for living in a country “where we can freely worship God.” She added: “Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously.”

Her post triggered backlash from fans who accused her of ignoring Trump’s record on LGBTQ+ rights. One long-time follower wrote: “[N]icki as a die hard fan, who genuinely sticks besides you through every single scandal, you cozying up to this fucking loser, [I] might actually have to tap out. we live in a country that wants to weaponize religion so YOUR GAY FANS can be pushed into a corner and silenced.”

“You being gay couldn’t save me” – Nicki Minaj responding to a queer fan on social media

Minaj hit back at the criticism in a reply that was later removed.

“Imagine hearing that Christians are being MURDERED & making it about you being gay,” she wrote. “When my home was swatted multiple times with my innocent toddler inside (with maybe 20 officers with guns drawn pointed at our home due to political corruption), you being gay couldn’t save me. Expecting someone to stay oppressed, abused, targeted, harassed & CONSISTENTLY ignored by public figures who were supposed to be helping them says more about you than it does anyone else.”

She went on to defend her stance further, saying her post had been misinterpreted.

“Imagine hearing that Christians are being persecuted & not being able to have empathy for THEM b/c you are blinded by your own personal obsession with Trump,” she wrote. “This says more about you than him, my darling.”

While some social media users claimed the rapper was endorsing Trump ahead of the 2024 election, Minaj has previously criticised his immigration policies but has also said she avoids joining what she called the “bandwagon” of hate directed at him.

What is happening with Christian and Muslim communities in Nigeria?

Nigeria has for years been battling a complex security crisis in which Christian and Muslim communities are both affected. The Middle Belt region in particular has seen frequent attacks on farming villages by militant groups including herder militias and Islamist‑linked insurgents.

In late October, Donald Trump labelled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, pointing to what he described as a “mass slaughter” of Christians by “radical Islamists”. 

The Nigerian government rejects the claim that the violence is a targeted religious persecution, saying it is a broader issue of terrorism, banditry and communal conflict.