Nicki Minaj Breaks Silence As 120K Sign Petition For Her Deportation, Demands Jail For Don Lemon

Nicki Minaj has reignited a firestorm of controversy with a furious late-night outburst on social media, turning her attention to broadcast journalist Don Lemon after months of escalating backlash over her dramatic political transformation.

The rapper's explosive response marks a significant moment in what critics have dubbed her unexpected 'MAGA conversion', a shift that has fractured her fanbase and triggered one of the largest online petitions calling for the deportation of a major celebrity in recent memory.

The Trinidad and Tobago-born artist has spent recent weeks navigating unprecedented scrutiny following her apparent alignment with conservative politics and her public admiration for President Donald Trump. Yet her latest comments reveal the raw tension simmering beneath the surface as she lashes out against those she perceives as hypocritical or destructive to religious communities.

Minaj's Radical Political Realignment Sparks Fan Backlash

Just months ago, Nicki Minaj was an outspoken critic of the Trump administration and conservative ideology.

In 2016, she rapped defiantly on her remix of Rae Sremmurd's 'Black Beatles': 'Donald Trump want me go home'—a direct criticism of his hardline immigration policies.

Prior to that, she had condemned Trump as early as 2010 for embodying double standards and called out his approach to American politics as childish and divisive.

Her previous position seemed unshakeable: she was an immigrant success story who understood the human cost of restrictive border policies. Yet that positioning has undergone a seismic shift.

In recent months, Minaj has openly socialised with Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and appeared alongside her at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest in Phoenix in December.

During that event, she offered her 'utmost respect and admiration' for Trump, describing him as 'handsome' and 'dashing', whilst also praising Vice President JD Vance.

She has furthermore reposted Trump's statements on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and spoken critically of California Governor Gavin Newsom's policies regarding transgender youth.

The reversal has devastated much of her core fanbase. A petition launched on Change.org calling for her deportation has surpassed 120,000 signatures, with supporters arguing that her political shift represents a betrayal of the progressive values she once championed. Minaj, who holds a valid green card and is a lawful permanent resident of the United States, has been publicly accused of abandoning the LGBTQ+ community and marginalised groups who once celebrated her as an advocate.

In response to the mounting pressure, Minaj deactivated her Instagram account earlier this year and largely retreated from public engagement. Her silence, however, proved temporary.

Minaj Lashes Out At Don Lemon Over Church Protest Coverage

On the evening of 18 January, Minaj returned to X with a furious tirade aimed directly at Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor turned independent broadcaster. 'DON 'C--CK SUCKIN' LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU?' she wrote in all capital letters. She followed this with an even more incendiary post: 'I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!' accompanied by an image of Chucky, the horror film character.

Minaj's outburst came in direct response to Lemon's coverage of a chaotic scene at Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, where anti-ICE protesters disrupted Sunday services on 18 January. The activists had stormed the church, believing that David Easterwood, a church leader, was simultaneously serving as the Acting Field Office Director for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in Minnesota.

During the disruption, which was livestreamed by Lemon on his YouTube channel, worshippers were forced to leave as demonstrators chanted slogans criticising the federal immigration agency.

Lead pastor Jonathan Parnell called the disruption 'shameful' and asked Lemon to leave the premises unless he intended to worship.

The Department of Justice has since announced it is investigating potential violations of the federal FACE Act—which protects religious sites from obstruction—arising from the protest.

Minaj's defence of religious space and her sharp criticism of Lemon's presence at the protest underscore the complex nature of her political evolution. Whilst her past statements aligned her with progressive causes and immigrant rights, her current stance increasingly positions her alongside conservative concerns about religious liberty and institutional disruption.

A minute after her primary attack on Lemon, Minaj posted simply 'HNY'—shorthand for 'Happy New Year'—suggesting the intensity of her outburst may have given way to a moment of reflection or detachment.