American rapper Nicki Minaj stirred row after publicly thanking President Donald Trump after he spoke out about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Minaj praised Trump’s remarks as “powerful” and “heartfelt,” but some fans accused her of aligning with the MAGA base. Trump, in a Truth Social post on Friday, claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria” and that “radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.” He added, “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world!”Minaj shared her response, expressing gratitude. “Reading this made me feel a deep sense of gratitude,” she posted on X. “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.” Minaj has been vocal about her Christian faith and its impact on a global scale. “Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror [and] it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice,” she said. “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.” Her comments drew praise from some conservatives but backlash from a portion of her fanbase. Others pointed out that Minaj had previously spoken about social justice and women’s rights, accusing her of inconsistency. The situation in Nigeria remains alarming, with reports of entire villages being destroyed and thousands displaced by Islamist groups. “Even being conservative, it’s probably 4,000 to 8,000 Christians killed annually,” said Mark Walker, Trump’s ambassador-designate for International Religious Freedom. “This has been going on for years, from ISWAP to Islamist Fulani ethnic militias, and the Nigerian government has to be much more proactive.” Trump has said he directed members of the House Appropriations Committee to investigate and that Nigeria will be redesignated a “country of particular concern” under US law, a label reserved for severe violations of religious freedom.
