Nicki Minaj has broken her silence on the full story behind her embrace of Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, pointing to former President Barack Obama and rap mogul, Jay-Z as two of the central figures who pushed her away from the Democratic Party and toward the Republican right.

The Trinidadian-born rapper, 43, made the revelations during a wide-ranging interview with Time magazine, conducted at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. In the conversation, Minaj described a political journey shaped by personal grievances, industry pressure and what she characterised as the Democratic Party’s assumption of unwavering loyalty from Black entertainers.

“It’s been ingrained in everyone’s brain in the music business that we are supposed to be a Democratic family,” she said, adding that she had privately held pro-Trump sympathies for years but “didn’t dare act like that publicly” for fear of alienating fans and industry allies.

Much of Minaj’s frustration with the Democratic establishment is rooted in her long-standing rivalry with Jay-Z, who has historically been one of Obama’s most visible celebrity allies. Minaj has for years accused the Roc Nation founder of attempting to sabotage her career and consolidate disproportionate power within the music industry.

She said that association coloured her view of Obama himself. “I think Jay-Z ended up costing Obama a lot, whether he knows it or not,” she said. “Lots of rappers don’t like Jay-Z and were afraid to say it.”

Obama’s conduct during the 2024 presidential campaign further deepened her disillusionment. The former president delivered a speech on the trail for Kamala Harris in which he suggested some Black male voters were resistant to the idea of a woman in the White House; remarks Minaj said resonated badly with many in the community. “I just saw so many videos of Black men saying that they didn’t like the way they felt about that speech that Obama gave,” she said. “They felt like they weren’t being listened to.”

Beyond the ideological dimensions, Minaj cited a series of practical experiences that accelerated her shift. After her home was repeatedly targeted in swatting attacks incidents in which hoax emergency calls trigger armed police responses she reached out to California Governor, Gavin Newsom for assistance. He never responded. When she was swatted again in 2025, it was Republican congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna who stepped in, connecting her with federal law enforcement and a private security team. The contrast left a lasting impression. “I was shocked,” Minaj said. “I’d never seen anyone in politics treat me that way.” It was, she said, the moment she resolved to stop keeping her political views a secret.

Minaj, who declared herself Trump’s number one fan in January and later attended the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, has since become one of the administration’s most prominent Black celebrity supporters. She told Time that going public with her convictions has been liberating. “I’ve never felt happier,” she said. “When you can be yourself, you’re happier.” Neither Obama’s nor Jay-Z’s representatives had commented at the time of publication.