Rapper Nicki Minaj set the internet ablaze Wednesday after claiming she received a so-called “gold card” from President Donald Trump — a high-priced immigration document typically reserved for wealthy or highly skilled foreign nationals — just hours after publicly praising him at a White House-adjacent event.
Minaj posted a photo of the card, emblazoned with Trump’s face, to X with a single word caption: “Welp.”
She later followed up with another post, writing that she was “finalizing that citizenship paperwork as we speak as per MY wonderful, gracious, charming President,” adding that she received the card free of charge. Under the administration’s policy, the cards normally cost $1 million and were created via a September executive order as an alternative pathway to citizenship for select foreign nationals.
“I wouldn’t have done it without you,” Minaj wrote. “Oh CitizenNIKA you are thee moment.”
Minaj, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, has previously spoken about her immigration status. In a 2018 Facebook post, she said she entered the United States illegally at the age of five.
Her announcement came the same day she appeared onstage with Trump during a U.S. Department of the Treasury summit promoting the administration’s new “Trump Accounts,” a child investment program. During the event, Minaj stood beside the president — at one point holding his hand — as businessman Kevin O’Leary addressed the crowd.
At the podium, Minaj described herself as “probably the president’s No. 1 fan.” She said criticism of her support for Trump only strengthens her loyalty. “The hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all,” she said. “It actually motivates me to support him more.”
Trump, for his part, lavished praise on the rapper. “I just think she’s great,” he said, joking that he might let his nails grow long like hers. He also claimed — without offering details — that Minaj planned to donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump Accounts for her fans, though eligibility rules and final amounts remain unclear.
“I didn’t know Nicki,” Trump said, adding that he had heard over the years she was a strong supporter. He acknowledged that her political stance had drawn backlash. “Her community isn’t necessarily a Trump fan,” he said.
The spectacle — a chart-topping rapper, a gold immigration card bearing the president’s likeness, and an onstage declaration of political devotion — left observers struggling to separate policy from performance.
