Trevor Noah wasted no time going at Nicki Minaj at the 2026 Grammy Awards. And the room knew exactly where he was headed.
Hosting the ceremony Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Trevor Noah paused during his opening remarks and delivered a line that instantly cut through the crowd. “Nicki Minaj is not here,” he said plainly. He repeated it once more for effect.
The audience responded with applause and laughter, a reaction that only grew louder when cameras caught Chrissy Teigen giving Trevor Noah a thumbs-up from her seat beside husband John Legend.
Trevor Noah didn’t stop there.
“She is still at the White House with Donald Trump discussing very important issues,” he added, leaning into Nicki Minaj’s recent public embrace of the former president. Then came the impression. Trevor Noah slipped into a mock Trump voice, exaggerating bravado and absurdity, joking about having “the biggest” everything while tossing in a playful reference to “WAP.” The arena erupted again.
In recent weeks, Nicki Minaj has openly referred to herself as Donald Trump’s “number one fan,” appearing at political events and receiving a Trump Gold Card during a U.S. Treasury gathering. The move has sparked intense debate online, especially among longtime fans who remember her earlier, more critical stance toward Trump-era politics.
While Nicki Minaj wasn’t nominated for a Grammy this year, her name still carries weight in the room. Twelve nominations across her career. Zero wins. It’s a statistic that continues to follow her, whether she’s present or not. She is expected to be nominated at the 2024 ceremony for her work on the Barbie soundtrack, but Sunday night belonged to those who showed up.
And Nicki didn’t.
Her absence, paired with her very visible political alignment, has become part of a larger conversation. Some fans feel alienated, especially given Trump’s record on immigration and issues that directly affect Black and immigrant communities. Others believe Nicki Minaj is playing a long game, speculating that her proximity to power is strategic, not emotional.
Nicki, for her part, has been unmoved by the backlash. She has said she won’t let criticism or “hate” change her stance. That resolve has only amplified the reactions around her.
