What did Nicki Minaj mean by assassin comment directed at JD Vance? Viral on stage gaffe raises eyebrows online

Nicki Minaj recently went viral for accidentally calling JD Vance an assassin. The rapper made a surprise appearance on Turning Point USA's AmericaFest event on December 21. While she sat down with Erika Kirk for a Q&A session, Minaj complimented the President and Vice President, calling them "amazing role models."

She said that Donald Trump is "handsome" and "dashing." Then, as she started talking about JD Vance, Nicki Minaj called him an assassin.

"Dear young men, you have amazing role models like our handsome, dashing president and you have amazing role models like the assassin JD Vance, our vice president," the rapper stated.

She quickly realised her blunder as she paused, seemingly embarrassed. Erika Kirk and the audience laughed. The widow of Charlie Kirk responded that she found the blunder relatable, as she has been called various things for her viral clips.

🚨HUGE BLUNDER: Nicki Minaj just referred to JD Vance as an “assassin” while speaking to Erika Kirk. Watch her completely squirm when she realizes what she said.

An absolutely massive fuckup caught live: pic.twitter.com/FGJO6xCo0Z

— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) December 21, 2025

Erika told the internet users to clip the moment too, saying that it did not matter. She then told Nicki Minaj to continue, as Kirk noted that the rapper has "a soul and a heart for the Lord," and she knew what was in Minaj's heart.

The on-stage gaffe went viral. While some netizens called the blunder "tone deaf," others pointed out that it was reportedly a Freudian slip. One X user (@Jokermanhere) claimed that Nicki Minaj supposedly meant it as a compliment, as rappers often call good debaters "lyrical assassins."

"Classic Freudian slip: Nicki praising Vance as an 'assassin' right in front of Charlie Kirk's widow. The awkward backpedal says it all. Tone deaf doesn't even cover it," one X user noted.

"She meant "assassin" as a compliment to praise his debating skills, because that's how rappers sometimes compliment someone's rap skills: lyrical assassin. Then she realized, not the best word to be using here. Dumb clown any way you look at it," another netizen wrote.

JD Vance praised Nicki Minaj after her viral on-stage blunder

The Vice President tweeted on December 22 that he found one moment from the AmericaFest "really profound." He shared that while talking to Erika Kirk, Minaj said that there is no need to bring down white girls while uplifting black girls.

JD Vance noted that in the last few years, communities have supposedly been pitted against each other. He praised Nicki Minaj for bringing it up and seemingly rejecting the narrative.

"We all got wrapped up over the last few years in zero sum thinking. This was because the people who think they rule the world pit us against one another. @NickiMinaj rejects that. We all should," Vance wrote.

In other news, the rapper's sudden appearance at Turning Point USA's event has sparked speculation among netizens. Many internet users have claimed that Nicki Minaj is allegedly trying to get a pardon for her brother Jelani Maraj, who is currently serving a 25 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting a minor.

A few netizens have also claimed that Nicki is reportedly seeking US citizenship. Notably, these claims are only online speculations. Stay tuned for more updates on the rapper.