Nicki Minaj has hit out at Don Lemon over his coverage of an ICE protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service.
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The independent journalist and former CNN news anchor shared a livestream last week, reporting on a protest that was taking place, and shed light on how demonstrators interrupted a church service in the area.
The stream was shared from Cities Church in St. Paul, according to TMZ, and the demonstrators had come together to protest the presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A pastor in that Church, David Easterwood, is reported by outlets including People and Billboard as being the acting director of ICE’s Saint Paul Field Office.
Responding to Lemon’s coverage, Minaj took to X/Twitter on Sunday (January 18) and hit out at the journalist.
“DON ‘COCK SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING,” she wrote, also sharing an image of Chucky from Child’s Play. “HOW DARE YOU? I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL! HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION. LOCK HIM UP!”
DON ‘COCK SUCKIN’ LEMON IS DISGUSTING.
HOW DARE YOU?
I WANT THAT THUG IN JAIL!!!!!
HE WOULD NEVER DO THAT TO ANY OTHER RELIGION.
LOCK HIM UP!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xoQBl9KDJY
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 19, 2026
The comments prompted Lemon, who is openly gay, to respond and criticise the rapper for the derogatory remarks.
“I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity,” he said to TMZ, adding that instead of Chucky, a “more appropriate image for her post is a ‘Pick Me’ Doll.”
He later told the outlet in another interview that the ‘Side To Side’ rapper was a “homophobic, bigoted ignorant woman” who needs to “sit the fuck down” and “grow some brains”.
Following his comments, Minaj doubled down on her initial stance, and shared another post defending her criticism of the journalist.
“LOL!!! And I purposely wrote it that way b/c I knew that would be the only way to get the cock suckas to post about it,” she wrote.
“They would’ve all collectively ignored the despicable behaviour displayed by Lemon head. I’m glad they’re angry. They’re about to get angrier.” She also shared a photo of Chucky holding up a middle finger.
LOL!!! And I purposely wrote it that way b/c I knew that would be the only way to get the cock suckas to post about it. They would’ve all collectively ignored the despicable behavior displayed by Lemon head.
I’m glad they’re angry.
They’re about to get angrier. https://t.co/yzMLAvgRNN pic.twitter.com/bVMroDyjAH
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) January 19, 2026
Sharing a clip of the Cities Church livestream, Lemon wrote on Bluesky: “Minneapolis activists disrupted a church service where David Easterwood serves as a pastor, according to lawyer and activist @nekimal – Easterwood is also the acting field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. Paul, Minnesota.”
One protestor told Lemon of the activists’ plans to “disrupt business as usual” over the pastor’s ICE role. The clip also featured footage from inside the church, where people were chanting “ICE out!”.
“We’re demanding justice for Renee Good,” one person said, referring to the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman by an ICE agent in Minnesota earlier this month.
“[We’re] letting them know that this will not stand. They cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harbouring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc on our community, and who killed Renee Good […] Enough is enough!”
The protestor told Lemon that she was a reverend, as well as a lawyer and activist: “So I come here in the power of the almighty God.”
Controversy around Minaj comes after she was a surprise guest at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix last month, appearing in conversation with the organisation’s co-founder Erika Kirk, widow of the murdered political commentator Charlie Kirk.
During that appearance, Minaj expressed her “respect and admiration” for the “handsome, dashing” Donald Trump, and doubled down on her recent criticisms of California governor Gavin Newsom.
While she initially claimed that she was unfazed by the backlash from the appearance, the rapper then deactivated her Instagram account.
She has also been facing multiple petitions launched to deport her from the US. The rapper moved to the country from Trinidad when she was just five years old, and Rolling Stone reported that several Change.org petitions to deport her have garnered more than 120,000 signatures.
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