US: Nicki Minaj endorses Trump at Michigan Republican rally

Rapper Nicki Minaj publicly endorsed US President Donald Trump at a Republican campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, 25 October, ahead of the November midterm elections. After travelling aboard Air Force One, the Trinidadian-born artist joined him on stage, telling the crowd "We love Trump" and promising to support him "forever". Nicki Minaj's increasingly public support for Donald Trump represents a notable political shift for a rapper whose provocative performances and sexually explicit lyrics have often sparked controversy. In 2020, she had criticised his administration's strict immigration policies, particularly the separation of children from their parents at the US border. More recently, however, she has appeared at events associated with his presidency. The Michigan rally also featured renewed attacks by Trump against Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for the US Senate. The president questioned El-Sayed's loyalty to the United States, allegations the former public health official has repeatedly rejected. Trump's remarks came as Republicans campaigned ahead of the midterms, with Minaj's appearance adding a prominent celebrity endorsement to the event. A video shared by White House communications director Steven Cheung also showed the rapper joking about becoming the administration's press secretary.