PHOENIX, ARIZONA December 21, 2025 – Rapper Nicki Minaj made a surprise guest appearance on the final day of Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025, joining TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk on stage to thunderous applause from the conservative youth crowd.
Introduced as a long-awaited “surprise” by Kirk — who noted that the late founder Charlie Kirk “always had surprises” — Minaj wasted no time launching into a sharp critique of California Governor Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender.
Quoting her own past social media posts, Minaj said: “Imagine being the guy running on wanting to see trans kids. Not even a trans adult would run on that. Normal adults want to see happy safe kids.”
The comments, delivered during a fireside-style chat, drew cheers from the audience at the Phoenix Convention Center. Minaj also declared she would “speak up for Christians wherever they are in the world” and vowed, “I’m not gonna back down anymore. I’m not gonna back down ever again.”
The appearance aligns with Minaj’s recent shift toward conservative messaging, including praise for President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, whom she described as making her “proud” with their leadership.
AmericaFest 2025, attended by over 30,000 young conservatives, featured prominent speakers including Vice President JD Vance, who delivered the closing keynote. The event honored the legacy of Charlie Kirk while showcasing the organization’s push for future electoral gains.
Minaj’s cameo quickly went viral on social media, with supporters hailing it as a cultural win for the America First movement and critics questioning the pairing of explicit-lyric rap with conservative values. The clip has amassed millions of views across platforms.
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