Nicki Minaj expressed her support for President Donald Trump in the wake of him claiming that he’s placing Nigeria on a watch list due to claims of anti-Christian violence.
President Trump announced on Halloween that the African nation would be added to a “Countries of Particular Concern” list by the Department of State.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” President Trump wrote on social media. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’.”
Minaj, who cosigned the president’s granddaughter, Kait, dancing to her music on TikTok a few days before, took to X the following morning to detail the “deep sense of gratitude” that she received from reading the president's post.
"We live in a country where we can freely worship God. No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion,” wrote the rapper. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other.”
“Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror & it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice,” she added. “Thank you to The President & his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer."
Ten minutes later, Minaj responded to a Muslim fan saying that "faith should unite, not divide us."
“There are 'extremists' in every religion," she wrote. "Sending love to our Muslim Barbz. Every single one of us should be able to worship in peace.”
President Trump’s claims have been denied by the Nigerian government. Experts have also framed the president’s allegations as inaccurate, with religious differences not being able to fully explain the strife that exists within the country.
Al Jazeera notes that Trump's claims about Nigeria "appear to mirror language pushed by right-wing lawmakers."