Nicki Minaj is taking her political support for President Donald Trump one step further, directly urging young Americans to vote Republican in the 2026 midterm elections.

During an interview with Lara Trump that aired Saturday on Fox News’ My View with Lara Trump, the rap superstar encouraged younger voters to become politically involved and argued that their participation matters beyond presidential elections.

Then Minaj made her own partisan preference explicit.

“Please, and vote red now,” Minaj said.

The remark represents one of Minaj’s clearest political endorsements to date. Rather than simply praising Trump or defending her relationship with his administration, she is now publicly encouraging young voters to support Republican candidates as Americans prepare for the November 3 midterm elections.

Minaj Tells Young People Their Votes Matter

Minaj’s message began as a broader appeal for political participation.

She told younger Americans not to assume that their votes or opinions would be ignored, arguing that decisions being made now will affect the world they inherit.

“Now is not the time to think that your voice will not be heard,” Minaj said.

She continued by telling younger voters that their voices were “very necessary right now” and encouraged them to become more involved in their communities and elections.

Minaj specifically stressed that political participation shouldn’t begin and end with presidential races.

“Think about how much you want a say in what happens and realize that the only way to have that is by voting — not just voting for the president, but just voting in all of the local elections,” she said.

Then came the political endorsement.

“Please, and vote red now.”

In American political shorthand, “red” refers to the Republican Party.

This Goes Beyond Minaj Simply Supporting Trump

The distinction matters.

Minaj has spent much of 2026 becoming increasingly open about her admiration for Trump. But telling voters to “vote red” expands that support beyond one politician.

The 2026 midterms aren’t a presidential election. Voters will decide congressional races and numerous state and local contests across the country.

By telling her audience to “vote red,” Minaj is effectively encouraging support for Republican candidates more broadly.

That makes the interview another significant step in a political evolution that has become increasingly public over the past year.

“I’ve Made It My Mission to Be Someone That Supports Him”

Minaj didn’t distance herself from Trump during the interview.

She doubled down.

“I’ve made it my mission to be someone that supports him,” Minaj said.

She described Trump as “a very authentic person” and said she appreciates what she sees as his willingness to speak candidly rather than appearing tightly scripted.

Minaj argued that Trump’s unpredictability and willingness to go “off script” makes him feel more genuine to her.

Her comments follow several increasingly public appearances and statements supporting the president.

Minaj Has Become Increasingly Visible Around Trump

Minaj’s political relationship with Trump moved well beyond social-media commentary earlier this year.

In January, she appeared alongside the president at a Trump Accounts event in Washington, D.C., where the two were photographed holding hands onstage.

Trump has publicly praised Minaj, calling her a “fantastic person.”

Minaj has also participated in an administration-linked Small Business Administration Million Dollar Pitch Competition as a celebrity judge.

Those appearances have increasingly positioned her as one of the most prominent entertainers publicly supportive of Trump.

The Lara Trump interview makes that relationship even more explicit.

Minaj isn’t merely appearing at administration events anymore.

She’s talking directly to voters.

Minaj Criticizes Democrats’ Relationship With Pop Culture

Lara Trump also asked Minaj why she had become dissatisfied with Democrats, particularly given that much of the entertainment industry has traditionally leaned toward Democratic candidates.

Minaj argued that Democrats have become overly focused on celebrity culture.

“I think the Democrats have gotten way too caught up in pop culture, for lack of a better term,” Minaj said.

She further accused Democrats of allowing their relationships with entertainers to cause them to behave in ways she considers “petty and childish.”

Those are Minaj’s characterizations of the Democratic Party, not independent findings about the party or its relationship with entertainers.

Celebrity involvement in American politics has also crossed party lines for decades, with both Republican and Democratic politicians relying on entertainers, athletes and other public figures to reach audiences.

What is notable in Minaj’s case is that one of hip-hop’s most commercially successful artists has become an increasingly visible supporter of a Republican president.

Her Political Shift Has Divided Some Fans

Minaj’s political statements have generated significant debate among her audience.

Her fan base — famously known as the Barbz — has followed her for well over a decade, and her political evolution has unfolded publicly in front of millions of followers.

Some supporters have embraced her willingness to express political opinions that are less common among major mainstream rappers.

Others have strongly criticized her Trump support.

Minaj has made clear that the backlash isn’t persuading her to retreat.

During another recent Fox News appearance, when asked what she would tell people criticizing her work with the Trump administration, Minaj essentially dismissed the pressure.

Her latest interview reinforces that position.

Instead of becoming quieter about politics, she’s becoming more explicit.

Minaj Says Her Own Story Shaped Her View of America

Minaj also connected her political outlook to her personal history.

Born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and Tobago, she moved to the United States as a child and was raised in Queens, New York.

Her rise from a difficult childhood to international superstardom has been a major part of her public story.

“My fan base, they got to see me come from absolutely nothing,” Minaj told Lara Trump. “They really saw the struggle in real time.”

She described her experience as the American dream.

“That’s why I love this country,” she said.

There’s Still a Question About Minaj’s Own Voting Eligibility

Her call for young Americans to vote has also revived questions about Minaj’s own citizenship status.

In 2024, Minaj publicly said that she was not a U.S. citizen despite having lived in the country since childhood.

Earlier this year, she indicated that she was working through citizenship paperwork, but her current status has not been publicly confirmed. Recent reporting therefore treats the question of whether Minaj herself can currently vote as unresolved.

That distinction is important.

U.S. citizenship is required to vote in federal elections. But Minaj does not need to be personally eligible to vote in order to publicly advocate for candidates, parties or greater voter participation.

Until Minaj or an authoritative source confirms that her citizenship process has been completed, it would be premature to state definitively that she either can or cannot cast a ballot in the November election.

From Celebrity Endorsement to Direct Political Advocacy

For years, Minaj’s political identity was considerably harder to categorize.

She occasionally commented on politicians and public policy, but she wasn’t primarily identified with one party in the way she increasingly is today.

That has changed.

Her appearances with Trump, participation in administration-related events, criticism of Democrats and repeated praise for the president have made her political position substantially clearer.

Now she’s moved into another category entirely.

She’s asking other people to vote.

And not merely to participate.

She’s telling them which party she wants them to support.

Nicki Minaj Is Making Her Position Clear Ahead of November

The 2026 midterms will determine control of Congress as voters across the country also decide state and local races.

How much influence celebrity endorsements actually have on individual voting decisions is difficult to isolate, and Minaj’s enormous social-media following does not automatically translate into votes for any candidate or party.

But her ability to inject political messages into entertainment and hip-hop conversations is obvious.

That makes her latest statement notable regardless of how individual voters respond.

Nicki Minaj has gone from praising Donald Trump, to appearing publicly alongside him, to participating in administration-linked initiatives.

Now, weeks before Americans head to the polls, she has delivered her most direct electoral message yet.

Get involved.

Vote.

And, in Nicki Minaj’s words, “vote red.”