Nicki Minaj thanked President Donald Trump and discussed claims of persecution of Christians in Nigeria while addressing members of the United Nations days after she posted about the situation on X.
The rapper stood in front of world leaders in New York City and admitted she was nervous, then gave her remarks about the situation.
“I would like to thank President Donald Trump for prioritizing this issue, and for his leadership on the global stage, and calling for urgent action to defend Christians in Nigeria to combat extremism, and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to exercise their natural right to freedom of belief,” she began.
Minaj said she doesn't think anyone should be persecuted for what they believe.
“We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order to respect each other,” she explained. “We’re way beyond thinking or expecting or assuming the next person sitting next to you will have the same beliefs. We're beyond that. That’s ridiculous.”
Later on, Minaj expressed her feelings about what she wants to happen, calling the issue a humanitarian crisis.
“It demands urgent action,” she said. “And I want to be clear. Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people, it’s about uniting humanity.”
Minaj let the world know that she would be speaking at the United Nations on Nov. 16 in response to Ambassador Mike Waltz after rumors surfaced that the two would be delivering remarks.
In a post on X, Waltz described the rapper as “not only arguably the greatest female recording artist, but also a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice. Responding to that, Minaj announced that she was “grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude.”
Minaj first addressed the situation after Halloween when Trump said that he was placing Nigeria on a watch list because of claims of anti-Christian violence. The rapper reposted his message on X, saying that she felt a "deep sense of gratitude" after reading the president's words.