Nicki Minaj Praises Vance After Trashing Newsom In Viral Posts

Superstar rapper and singer Nicki Minaj set social media ablaze Thursday after publicly praising Vice President J.D. Vance, commending his debate prowess and playfully engaging with online speculation about his political trajectory.

“Nothing brings me joy like the Vance memes & knowing he leaned into it like a boss,” Minaj wrote on X. “Top Tier Comedy. Character = 100. But make no mistake, Vance is an assassin. Don’t debate him. On anything. Quick as a computer. Maybe quicker.”

Minaj was referencing viral internet memes that portray Vance with an exaggerated, cartoonishly oversized head—images that have circulated widely online for months. Rather than bristling at the mockery, Vance leaned into it, even dressing up as the meme for Halloween, a move that earned praise from supporters and critics alike.

The exchange marked the latest moment in which Minaj has drawn attention for comments that break sharply with the entertainment industry’s usual left-wing orthodoxy. Earlier this year, she praised President Donald J. Trump and his administration for addressing what she described as the genocide of Christians in Nigeria.

“We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other,” Minaj wrote at the time. “Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice. Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian.”

Vance responded to Minaj on Wednesday by weighing in on a long-running hip-hop rivalry, posting simply, “Nicki > Cardi.”

Minaj fired back Thursday with a line that sent political observers scrambling.

“The Vance > The Gav Nots,” she wrote—a remark widely interpreted as a pointed jab at California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The online back-and-forth soon attracted additional high-profile attention. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz amplified Vance’s post and nodded to Minaj’s fiercely loyal fanbase by writing, “VP of the Barbs!”

Minaj continued posting content that skewered Newsom while praising President Trump and Vice President Vance, further signaling her willingness to buck Hollywood’s preferred political narratives.

Newsom has not responded to Minaj’s remarks. However, she is now the second major entertainer in less than a week to publicly distance herself from the Democratic governor, following sharp criticism earlier this month from actress Halle Berry.