Overview
- Minaj lauded President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance as role models during an onstage Q&A with TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk in Phoenix.
- She created an awkward moment by calling Vance an “assassin” before catching herself, which Kirk quickly defused with a lighthearted response.
- Minaj mocked California Gov. Gavin Newsom and emphasized her recent advocacy on religious freedom, citing engagement with U.S. officials on persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
- Vivek Ramaswamy used his AmericaFest speech to denounce “heritage Americanism,” racism and antisemitism on the right, explicitly rebuking extremist figures to cheers from the crowd.
- The event mixed celebrity moments and internal tensions, featuring a phone call from Trump, public jabs between Ben Shapiro and Tucker Carlson, and Erika Kirk’s endorsement of Vance for 2028.