Trump Administration Teases Rapper Nicki Minaj as Potential White House Press Secretary in Social Media Video
The Trump administration has playfully floated hip-hop artist Nicki Minaj as a candidate for White House press secretary, sharing a mock job interview video recorded aboard Air Force One.
Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, posted the video on social media alongside a lighthearted caption suggesting they might have found their next spokesperson. The official White House account amplified the post by responding with an eyes emoji.
The roughly two-minute clip features Cheung conducting a mock interview with Minaj while traveling with President Donald Trump on Sunday ahead of a campaign rally in Michigan. During the exchange, Cheung asked the rapper how the economy is performing under Trump, prompting her to credit the president’s business background.
Well, we have a president who understands economics, first of all, Minaj said in the video, adding that if Trump can manage his own finances, he surely knows what to do with the country. When Cheung asked whether anyone works harder than the president, Minaj answered that absolutely no one does.
The social media post injected humor into a turbulent period for the White House press office. The communications team has faced recent instability following the departure of Karoline Leavitt as press secretary in August. Earlier this month, conservative commentator Katie Zacharia was selected to replace her, but Zacharia stepped down from the role just five days after starting. Her tenure included only a single press briefing where she took questions from three reporters before departing on good terms with the administration, with potential transitions into a new role under discussion.
Conservative commentator Miranda Devine joined in the online exchange by pivoting the joke back to the communications director, posting that Cheung himself would make a great White House press secretary.
For Minaj, the Air Force One appearance marks the latest in a series of public demonstrations of support for Trump, establishing her as one of his most prominent celebrity backers. Her alignment with the administration gained visibility in January when she appeared alongside the president at the Trump Accounts Summit held at the Treasury Department.
At that summit, Minaj praised a new presidential policy, telling attendees that having access to such a program earlier in life would have changed her trajectory. She expressed support for bright children born without wealthy relatives or established bank accounts who nevertheless have significant contributions to offer the world.
Minaj, a California resident, entered the Trump administration’s orbit after experiencing a frosty reception from California Governor Gavin Newsom. Following that experience, she reached out directly to Trump’s communications team, which welcomed her warmly and solidified her political alliance with the president.
