PORT HURON, Mich. — Rapper Nicki Minaj joined President Donald Trump onstage Sunday at a campaign event in Michigan, rallying voters for Republican candidates just over a week before the nationwide midterm elections.
Minaj, wearing a gold Gucci-branded suit, addressed attendees in Port Huron after traveling with Trump aboard Air Force One, according to the New York Post. Taking the stage, Minaj told the crowd that Trump has “changed the energy of the country” and “given us a future to look forward to,” the BBC reported. She also led attendees in chants supporting Trump and local candidates on the ballot. “We really need all these great people to be elected, because this is a major turning point for our country,” Minaj said, as reported by the BBC.
Trump praised the hip-hop star during his remarks, calling her “smart” and saying she “never looked more beautiful,” according to the BBC. During a portion of his address addressing media coverage of remarks he previously made about Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s physique, Trump also commented on Minaj’s figure, The Guardian reported. Trump referred to her rear end as “hard to miss” before asking her to stand up to applause from the audience and adding that he hoped she was not insulted, according to The Guardian.
High Stakes in Michigan Senate Race
The Port Huron stop served as a major push for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers, who is competing against Democrat Abdul El-Sayed in a closely watched contest that could determine party control of the Senate, outlets reported. The midterm elections take place on Nov. 3.
During his address, Trump attacked El-Sayed’s Muslim background and faith, alleging that the Democratic candidate would “invite jihadists” into the United States if elected, the BBC reported. El-Sayed previously rejected such rhetoric as Islamophobic, stating in a recent campaign advertisement that Trump “thinks he can use my name and my faith to distract us from the suffering his policies are inflicting on us at the pump, at the grocery store, and at the doctor’s office,” according to the BBC.
Democrats have similarly deployed major figures to Michigan in the race’s closing stretch. Former President Barack Obama campaigned alongside El-Sayed on Saturday, targeting Trump’s administration and his White House renovation projects, The Guardian reported.
Minaj’s Political Alliance
Minaj, 43, has emerged as an outspoken celebrity supporter of Trump, previously describing herself as his “number one fan,” according to the BBC. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Minaj moved to the U.S. during childhood and is a permanent resident, though the New York Post noted it remains unclear if she has gained U.S. citizenship to vote.
Earlier Sunday, after the pair landed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted video of Minaj walking with Trump and jokingly wrote on social media, “I think we may have found the next White House Press Secretary!” according to the New York Post. The post followed the resignation of Katie Zachariah, who stepped down five days after taking the press secretary role.
Trump also touched on foreign commerce during the rally, stating that recent trade tensions and tariffs involving Canada would be resolved quickly, The Guardian reported. Campaign activity across key battlegrounds is expected to intensify further as both parties make their final appeals to voters ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3.
