Nicki Minaj, the Trinidadian-born rapper, has recently declared herself as Donald Trump's "number one fan". This announcement coincides with her receiving a "Trump Gold Card" and signals a potential resolution to her long-standing U.S. immigration status.
Minaj made the declaration on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during an appearance at the Treasury Department's Trump Accounts summit in Washington, D.C.. The summit was held to promote Trump's new "Trump Accounts" initiative, which aims to provide $1,000 investment accounts for every American child born between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2026. Minaj appeared alongside Trump to announce her contribution of $300,000 to the program.
During the event, Minaj stated that the "hate or what people have to say" does not affect her and "actually motivates" her to support Trump more. She also said that she would not let Trump's opponents "get away with bullying him".
The "Trump Gold Card," which Minaj flaunted on X, is connected to an initiative established by Executive Order 14351 in September 2025. This program provides an expedited path to permanent residency for foreign nationals who make substantial financial contributions to the U.S. government. Individual applicants are required to contribute $1 million, while corporations can donate $2 million on behalf of an individual. Recipients are still subject to standard background checks, but the financial contribution serves as additional evidence of eligibility.
Minaj's potential citizenship comes after she revealed in 2024 that she was not a U.S. citizen, despite having paid millions in taxes. She came to America as an undocumented immigrant at the age of five with her mother in 1987. In the past, Minaj has been outspoken about Trump's hardline immigration policies, even rapping about them in 2016. In 2018, she wrote about her experience as an illegal immigrant and expressed concern about children being separated from their parents.
Minaj's support for Trump has sparked controversy and upset some of her fans. Some have accused her of betraying the LGBT+ community, a frequent target of Trump's policies. Some fans have even destroyed her records in protest.
Despite the criticism, Minaj seems undeterred in her support for Trump. She has promoted her appearance at the Trump Accounts summit and her plan to pledge money to the project, calling the accounts "the true meaning of paying it forward". She believes that "early financial literacy & financial support for our children will give them a major head start in life".
