X Nicki Minaj
Published Jan 29, 2026, 3:46 PM EST
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Headlines have noted how much of a political flip Nicki Minaj has made, recently seen holding hands with Donald Trump despite condemning his immigration policies only months before. However, the reasons for her actions have become clear as she earns herself a Trump Gold Card for her efforts.
In a post from 2018, Nicki Minaj claimed that she came to the United States at 5 years old as an illegal immigrant. She's not been overly forthcoming with her immigration status since, but a recent post on X implies that with the Trump Gold Card she's earned, she is now finalizing her residency.
The Golden Trump Card is typically reserved for people willing to pay the $1 million price tag it comes with. The card itself does not guarantee citizenship, but it does allow for residency. In this case, Nicki Minaj didn't have to pay the fee, but she did lose a lot of supporters and face in the process.
Despite being the face of US hip-hop/pop for many years, people were surprised to find out that Minaj wasn't actually a resident of the country during a TikTok stream in 2024. She explained that she was still a citizen of her parents' homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.
I was born on a beautiful island called Trinidad and Tobago. But I've been in the States for many years. You would think that with the millions of dollars that I've paid in taxes to this country that I would have been given an honorary citizenship many, many, many thousands of years ago.
In the end, it wasn't the millions of dollars in taxes that earned her a residency; it was cozying up with the President of the United States. She knew that if she polished his ego enough, held his hand for photos, and defended him against all the "hate," he would end up giving her what she wanted.
The response online has been very much in the same vein as it was for most of her pro-Trump statements. People are disappointed that she flipped her political standpoint, especially amid the ICE murders and immigration detention centers. However, some have recognized what she has achieved with her political switch.
By supporting Donald Trump publicly, Nicki Minaj very cleverly earned herself a Trump Gold Card and secured an almost unconditional residency in the country. Although with an estimated net worth of $150 million, she probably could have bought herself and avoided the backlash she's faced since cozying up to the president.
Birthdate December 8, 1982
English (US) ·