Vice President J.D. Vance has responded calmly after Nicki Minaj accidentally referred to him as “the assassin” during her appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest summit over the weekend. Rather than pushing back, Vance took the high road, addressing the moment on X on Monday morning and making it clear there was no bad blood. He first referenced Minaj’s broader remarks about uplifting little Black girls without tearing down little blonde girls, saying he understood her message as one rooted in unity.
Vance went on to criticize what he described as “zero-sum” thinking in modern politics, blaming powerful forces that thrive on division. He directly tagged Minaj, praising her for rejecting that mindset and signaling that the rapper’s intentions were misunderstood rather than malicious. The response effectively shut down any speculation of tension between the vice president and the music star.
The slip occurred while Minaj was praising President Donald Trump and conservative leadership during a sit-down interview with Erika Kirk, widow of late activist Charlie Kirk, who was murdered in September in what authorities described as a political assassination. Minaj immediately realized the mistake, and Kirk laughed it off on stage, a reaction seemingly echoed by Vance’s measured response. In an era of viral outrage, could this unexpected moment become an example of how political and cultural divides can be handled differently? Visit www.jocomms.com for more news stories
