Rapper Nicki Minaj has managed to bag one of Trump's coveted gold cards after calling herself 'the president's No. 1 fan'.
The 43-year-old has become more involved in politics over the past few months, having turned towards the MAGA movement, speaking with Charlie Kirk's widow Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's America Fest in December.
She has publicly backed a number of Trump's decisions, even joining Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, in November, to speak about an ongoing conflict in Nigeria.
Minaj, real name Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, has now announced that she has been given a Trump 'gold card', which is said to offer applicants residency and a path to US citizenship.
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The rapper has regularly been posting politics-related content on her social media accounts in support of the Trump administration, despite criticism from fans.
What is a Trump 'gold card'?
Many may be confused about what a gold card really entails, as the 'Anaconda' artist shared a snap of her new card, which is emblazoned with Trump's face, captioning the post 'Welp'.
The card was initially introduced for those looking to buy residency in the US, with the president known for his work on cracking down on immigration - it seems like you'll need bucketloads of dollars to buy yourself a Green Card.
According to the government website, securing a Trump gold card requires a $150,000 'DHS processing fee' and a '$1 million gift'.
It's surprising nonetheless, especially since ICE-led raids in the state of Minnesota this month have already claimed the lives of two American citizens in extreme measures to capture illegal immigrants.
The pathway allows the richest of the rich to relocate to America, as part of the Trump administration's overhaul of the visa system.
At the moment, there are EB-1 and EB-2 visas, also known as employment-based visas, which have a clear path to US citizenship as they are given to those with either 'advanced degrees' or 'extraordinary ability'.
According to Politico, the 'gold card' is meant to be replacing these for those who have 'exceptional value' to the US.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced that it would make money for the US government, with there set to be around 80,000 gold cards made available at one million dollars a pop, or two million dollars for companies trying to sponsor a migrant.
Why is Nicki Minaj flaunting the gold card?
You may be wondering why the US-based rapper is posting about the card and that's because, well, she isn't actually American.
No, Minaj was actually born in Trinidad and Tobago and she wasted no time in sharing the gold card with fans.
Following the photo of the card, Minaj said in a follow-up post: "Residency? Residency? The cope is coping.
"Finalizing that citizenship paperwork as we speak as per MY wonderful, gracious, charming President.
"Thanks to the petition.
"I wouldn’t have done it without you.
"Oh CitizenNIKA you are thee moment.
"Gold Trump card free of charge," she wrote.
Describing herself as 'probably the president's No. 1 fan' yesterday (28 January), Minaj commented of the criticism, saying: "The hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all."
In a 2018 Facebook post, Minaj claimed: "I came to this country as an illegal immigrant @ 5 years old," though she claimed in a reply to her recent snap of the gold card: "Residency? This isn’t for Residency. I’ve had that for decades."
Nicki's music career
It can be argued that Minaj's rap career has taken a nosedive in recent years, as it could be argued she has failed to keep up with the growth of rivals such as Cardi B or Megan Thee Stallion.
Minaj's husband, Kenneth Petty, is a registered sex offender, and in a 2024 beef between Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, the latter wasn't shy in hinting towards it.
The beef, which went on as Minaj repeatedly made negative comments about her rival, was a sign of the times as the 'Super Bass' artist was overtaken by newer acts.
Despite having 12 Grammy nominations, Minaj has never won a Grammy, while her adversary Cardi B won best rap album for 'Invasion of Privacy', Doechii then won the award for 'Alligator Bites Never Heal' in 2025, becoming the third woman in history to win the accolade.
She has since become one of Hollywood's most outspoken Trump supporters, speaking at an event yesterday, backing the president and his decisions.
Before introducing her up on stage, the 79-year-old said: "I've been hearing so much over the years because I didn't know Nicki and I've been hearing over the years she's a big Trump supporter and Trump fan and she took a little heat on occasion."
Trump even quipped: "I'm going to let my nails grow because I love those nails," referring to Minaj's iconic nail extensions.
"I'm going to let those nails grow!"
Topics: Nicki Minaj, Donald Trump, Politics, Celebrity, US News
Joshua Nair