Rapper Nicki Minaj found herself in an intensely awkward situation during a surprise appearance at the Turning Point USA AmericaFest convention in Phoenix, Arizona, over the weekend. The moment, which has since gone viral, involved an unfortunate word choice made directly beside Erika Kirk, the widow of the organization's founder, Charlie Kirk.
The Unfortunate Slip and Immediate Regret
While being interviewed onstage by Erika Kirk, Minaj was offering advice to young men and praising prominent political figures. She took a jab at California Governor Gavin Newsom, using the derogatory nickname "Newscum," before effusively praising former President Donald Trump as an "amazing," "handsome," and "dashing" role model.
Her praise then turned to Vice President JD Vance, whom she described as an "assassin." The rapper immediately paused, seemingly realizing the profound insensitivity of her word choice in front of Erika Kirk, whose husband was assassinated in September 2024. Video of the exchange shows Minaj placing her hand over her mouth in a moment of visible regret.
Erika Kirk responded with grace, telling Minaj, "Trust me, there's nothing new under the sun that I have not heard, so you're fine." She added, "I love this woman, she's an amazing woman... words are words, but I know her heart and it doesn't even matter."
Body Language Experts Analyze the Cringe
Communication and body language expert Karen Donaldson told HuffPost that Minaj's gesture of covering her mouth and closing her eyes signaled she "wished she could take back what was said, a showcase of regret." Donaldson noted that closing her eyes often signals discomfort and a desire to "disappear in the moment," and her posture slumped, signaling defeat.
Psychologist and author Denise M. Dudley believes Minaj was "replaying the tape in her head" and regretting the word choice. "I do believe that her regret is not because of calling JD Vance an assassin. It's because of the insensitivity of using that word in front of Kirk," Dudley analyzed. She suggested the prolonged pause indicated Minaj had even surprised herself with the comment.
Patti Wood, another body language expert, highlighted a contrast in Minaj's delivery. She noted the rapper spoke about Trump in a slow, purposeful manner, indicating premeditated thoughts, but fell into "frozen body language" after the gaffe. Wood found it interesting that the typically confident Minaj remained silent as Kirk tried to smooth things over.
Context: Minaj's Recent Political Alignment
The incident comes as Minaj, despite past criticisms, has recently sought to align herself with the MAGA movement. Earlier in December, she expressed admiration for JD Vance in posts on X, the social media platform. Vance reciprocated around the same time, tweeting "Nicki>Cardi," a reference to her long-standing feud with rapper Cardi B.
While the on-stage moment was quickly defused by Erika Kirk's compassionate response, the combination of the sensitive setting, the loaded terminology, and Minaj's unmistakable non-verbal reaction has made the clip a major topic of discussion online and in media circles. Experts largely agree her body language showed sincere, if self-conscious, regret for the poorly timed remark.
