Amber Rose defended Nicki Minaj after the rapper faced criticism for her appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest over the weekend.
Rose spoke with TMZ about Minaj’s controversial appearance with Erika Kirk at the conservative event, where the “Super Bass” rapper voiced her support for Donald Trump and JD Vance.
“I think she did a great job, an amazing job,” Rose said. “We live in a free country. She has a right to her own political opinion just like everyone else does.”
Nicki Minaj appeared at AmericaFest on Sunday alongside Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. During the conversation, Minaj praised Trump, saying he “has given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys and to win and to do it with your head held high.”
The appearance drew backlash from some fans, particularly from the LGBTQ+ community. Amber Rose pushed back against critics who suggested supporting Trump means being anti-LGBTQ+.
“She didn’t say anything wrong. She didn’t say anything about the LGBTQ+ community at all,” Rose told TMZ. “Why do people think everybody over there is homophobic? I’m not homophobic. My assistant has been with me for 11 years. He’s Black and gay. I have a bunch of trans friends. So does Nicki.”
Rose continued: “I don’t know why people twist our words or think that because we endorse Trump that we hate gay people and trans people. It’s just not true.”
Both women have been vocal Trump supporters. Amber Rose spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where she shared her journey from believing “left-wing propaganda that Donald Trump was a racist” to becoming a supporter.
“I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, gay, or straight. It’s all love,” Rose said during her RNC speech. “And that’s when it hit me. These are my people. This is where I belong.”
At AmericaFest, Vice President JD Vance referenced Minaj during his speech, saying, “Unlike the left, we stand against treating anybody, and I love what Nicki said about this. We don’t treat anybody different because of their race or their sex.”
The rapper’s political evolution has surprised many fans who knew her primarily for her music career. Her AmericaFest appearance marked one of her most public displays of conservative political support.