Nicki Minaj and Don Lemon. What started as a disagreement over journalistic coverage has spiraled into a scorched-earth battle involving homophobic slurs, deportation threats, and deep-seated personal trauma.
The “Super Freaky Girl” rapper and the former CNN anchor are currently locked in a viral standoff that has the entire industry questioning where the line between a “read” and a “ruinous accusation” actually lies.
The latest chapter unfolded after Lemon reported on a disruptive protest at a Minnesota church that was targeted by anti–Immigration and Customs Enforcement activists. Videos from the scene showed demonstrators accusing the church’s pastor of having ties to ICE, a claim that fueled heated reactions online as tensions around federal enforcement continue to rise in the state following a fatal shooting involving an ICE agent.
Nicki Minaj reacted forcefully. Taking to X, the rapper unleashed an all-caps post attacking Lemon personally and using a slur aimed at his sexuality. Nicki, an outspoken Christian, called Lemon “disgusting” for reporting on the protest, writing, “How dare you? I want that thug in jail!!!!! He would never do that to any other religion. Lock him up!!!!!”
The comment drew swift backlash, not only for its tone but for targeting Lemon’s identity. Lemon is openly gay and married his longtime partner, Tim Malone, in 2024.
Don Lemon, who was ousted from CNN in 2023, didn’t take the bait quietly. Instead, he took to TikTok to deliver a surgical, five-minute rebuttal that went straight for the jugular. Calling the rapper “unhinged” and a “homophobic bigot,” Lemon urged her to stop speaking on issues outside of her depth.
But he didn’t stop at defending his character. He pivoted to a line of attack that left many fans stunned, claiming that, from what he knows, Minaj is reportedly an undocumented citizen. He went as far as to suggest she should be deported under the very same Trump administration policies she has recently praised.
“You have one family member who is a sex offender, the other family member… is reportedly a pedophile. And you have the nerve to talk about me?”
Nicki Minaj, born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and Tobago, moved to the United States as a child and has lived most of her life here. In a 2024 statement, she said she was not a U.S. citizen, a comment that resurfaced almost immediately after Lemon’s video went viral.
This feud lands at a complicated moment for both figures. Nicki Minaj has faced growing scrutiny over her political commentary and public stances, while Don Lemon has been redefining his platform since his departure from CNN in 2023 after nearly two decades at the network.
