Nicki Minaj makes crude, homophobic comments about journalist Don Lemon, who was arrested for covering an anti-ICE protest.
Conservative commentator Katie Miller shares a clip of Minaj's comments, which appears to endorse the homophobic language.
Lemon defends his reporting, stating that he was merely chronicling the protest and had no affiliation with the organization.
Nicki Minaj takes her homophobia from social media to the real world.
Source: NDZ / Star Max / GC Images
MAGA commentator Katie Miller celebrated Don Lemon's arrest by posting a clip that included a homophobic slur directed at the former CNN host.
The wife of Stephen Miller, a prominent figure in conservative media, quickly took to social media after the news that Lemon was facing federal charges connected to his coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. She shared footage from an interview with rapper-turned-MAGA figure Nicki Minaj, in which the two appeared to be laughing along with a crude comment aimed at the openly gay journalist.
“You called for Don Lemon's arrest for his church stunt in Minneapolis; he has since called you racist, unhinged, homophobic and out of your depth,” Miller asked. “Is something you want to say to Don Lemon?”
“c***sucker, stop,” Minaj replied, causing both women to giggle.
The clip was posted shortly after reports on January 30 that Lemon had been arrested the night before for covering a protest on January 18. The demonstration interrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church, where protesters accused a pastor of cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Prior to his arrest, Lemon argued that his presence at the protest was protected by the First Amendment, saying he was there to document events, not to participate in them. His lawyer, Abbe Lowell, sharply criticized the arrest, calling it an “unprecedented attack” on press freedom.
“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, which is the real allegation of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell added.
His arrest came just days after a magistrate judge dismissed the government's first attempt to prosecute Lemon, citing insufficient evidence. Addressing the controversy in a video posted on social media, Lemon pushed back against his critics and defended his reporting.
“The MAGA administration and the fake news MAGAs are losing their minds over something that isn't even true.”
“I had no affiliation with that organization,” he continued. “I didn't even know they were going to this church until we followed them. We were chroniclers of protests there. As soon as the protest started in the church, we did an act of journalism – reporting on it and talking to the people involved, including the pastor, members of the church, and members of the organization. That's it.”
As for Lemon's back-and-forth with Minaj, her disdain for the reporter also stemmed from his coverage of the Anti-ICE protests.
“DON 'C**K SUCKIN' LEMON IS DISGUSTING. HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT FOR FREE!!!!!” she tweeted at the time. “He would never do that to another religion. LOCK HIM UP!!!!!” She added a picture of a Chucky doll to her post.
The openly gay journalist, who married longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024, responded to the rapper in a statement to TMZsaying, “I'm not surprised that Nicki Minaj doesn't understand journalism and ventures into matters beyond her capacity. However, the more appropriate image for her post is a 'Pick Me' Doll.”
