Rapper Nicki Minaj stepped into the world of global diplomacy on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, joining U.S. officials at the United Nations to amplify the Trump administration’s repeated — and widely disputed — claims of a “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria.
Taking the stand after U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz, Minaj delivered an emotional speech that blended faith, celebrity influence, and political messaging, even as human-rights experts continue to caution that the administration’s framing of the crisis ignores the far more complex realities on the ground.
“Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart,” Minaj said, her voice sombre as she described what she called the “deadly threat” facing Christians. She thanked former President Donald Trump for “prioritizing this issue” and urged the international community to take “urgent action.”
Her remarks arrived as Trump-aligned officials intensify rhetoric suggesting that U.S. military intervention in Africa may be necessary to “protect Christians” — a framing sharply criticized by analysts who note that the majority of victims of extremist and communal violence in Nigeria have historically been Muslim.
Nigerian civil-society groups have repeatedly warned that American political actors are oversimplifying the situation, turning a multidimensional security crisis into a religious morality tale.
Still, Minaj’s speech resonated with many in the room. She spoke not as a policy expert but as an artist who has witnessed the universality of faith among her fans worldwide.
“Religious freedom means we all can sing our faith,” she said. “But today, faith is under attack in way too many places.”
She explained that her message was not about “taking sides” but about “uniting humanity,” adding that Nigeria is a nation she hopes to visit soon.
“When one’s church, mosque, or place of worship is destroyed, everyone’s heart should break,” she said. She closed by addressing her fanbase — the “Barbs” — thanking them for their support and saying she would always stand against persecution “anywhere, against anyone.”
While her compassion is unmistakable, the political consequences of lending her platform to unverified claims may have far-reaching effects that extend far beyond the UN auditorium.
Meanwhile, in Nigeria, officials and experts have disputed Trump’s claims of mass killings of Christians, noting that Boko Haram and al-Qaeda-linked groups target people of all faiths in Africa’s most populous country.
Nigeria has said it would welcome assistance from the United States in fighting the armed groups, as long as its territorial integrity is respected.
