American rapper Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, professionally known as Nicki Minaj, has drawn criticism from liberal commentators after publicly expressing approval of U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.
The designation—issued in response to ongoing Islamist attacks against Christian communities—followed advocacy by several Republican legislators, including Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Riley Moore. Nigeria has, in recent years, faced sustained internal violence involving jihadist insurgents such as Boko Haram, ethnic clashes, and armed banditry. Boko Haram, in particular, has targeted both Christians and Muslims deemed “apostates,” while violent disputes between Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farmers have deepened regional instability.
Reacting to the development on her verified X (formerly Twitter) account, Minaj wrote:
“Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude. We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other.”
She added:
“Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror, and it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice. Thank you to The President and his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.”
Minaj, who immigrated from Trinidad to the United States at age five and has yet to obtain U.S. citizenship, has previously spoken about her Christian upbringing and faith.
Her remarks provoked a wave of outrage across social media platforms, with many liberal users accusing her of endorsing what they viewed as an anti-Muslim narrative. One user wrote:
“Millions of families can’t feed their families today due to this government shutdown, and Nicki Minaj is using her platform to praise Donald Trump.”
Another X user, identifying as a Muslim fan, lamented:
“The concept of me, a Muslim, having a fav that is currently thanking Trump for pushing anti-Muslim propaganda.”
Further reactions accused Minaj of “normalizing” Trump’s administration and betraying her fanbase, while others defended her right to commend a specific policy action without endorsing his broader political platform.
Meanwhile, both the Nigerian government and the Christian Association of Nigeria have dismissed claims of a “Christian genocide,” a narrative that has gained traction among certain American conservative circles and media personalities, including Bill Maher. Maher, during a recent broadcast of Real Time with Bill Maher, accused international media outlets of ignoring violence in Nigeria while disproportionately focusing on Gaza.
Under U.S. law, a CPC designation identifies countries engaged in “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Announcing the decision, Trump stated:
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening… We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
Minaj’s comments also come shortly after she reposted a viral TikTok video featuring Trump’s granddaughter, Kai, dancing to a remix of her song Beez In The Trap—a move that further fueled speculation about her political sympathies.#newsafro_
