Joy Reid Goes All The Way Off On Nicki Minaj Calling Her A “House Pet” For The MAGA Movement

Joy Reid is not holding back when it comes to her thoughts on Nicki Minaj’s latest political pivot.

During a recent appearance on The Don Lemon Show, the veteran journalist delivered a scathing critique of the rapper’s relationship with Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. Reid accused the Republican party of using Minaj as a “house pet” to provide a sense of “blackface” and legitimacy to their cause.

According to Reid, the embrace of the “Super Freaky Girl” rapper isn’t about her music or her views, but rather a desperate need for the GOP to tap into Black “cultural cool.”

Reid explained that the right wing is essentially keeping Minaj on a “leash” because they are chasing the influence that Black creators naturally bring to the table. “The reason they want her on a leash as their house pet cuddled at Donald Trump’s feet… is because they need, N-E-E-E-D Black people to give them ‘cultural cool,’” Reid stated. She argued that while Trump and his team might welcome the endorsement, they would likely be “horrified” if they actually sat down and listened to the lyrical content of her songs.

Reid also took several personal shots at Nicki’s legacy and her character, comparing her unfavorably to other industry giants. “She’ll never be Rihanna. She’ll never have a brand like Rihanna. She’ll never be Beyoncé,” Reid claimed, adding that Minaj is a “40-some year-old” artist who has shown a lack of concern for the Black community and immigrants, despite her own history as an undocumented immigrant from Trinidad.

Reid also suggested that the rapper has officially lost the very “cool” the GOP is trying to buy. She warned that the alliance is strictly transactional and that the MAGA crowd will move on as soon as they find a newer Black face to represent them. “Nikki ain’t s**t and she ain’t saying nothing. And a 100 little Barbs can’t tell me nothing. Y’all mad about it, be mad about it,” Reid said defiantly.

She concluded by making it clear that she believes the strategy won’t work in the long run, even if the right continues to look for Black figures to act as a shield for their movement.

Joy Reid claims Trump and MAGA are using Nicki Minaj as a “pet” to put a Black face on MAGA, because MAGA “needs” the power of Black culture to seem “cool.”

“Black ‘cultural cool’ has always been a powerful, powerful element in the country.”

Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/JNEs6Yv9sv

— AF Post (@AFpost) February 7, 2026