Joy Reid recently labeled Nicki Minaj a Republican “house pet” on Don Lemon’s show. This escalation follows a feud that began during the 2021 vaccine controversy. The former MSNBC host didn’t hold back, calling the rapper a GOP “house pet” during her appearance. Joy Reid went further, questioning Nicki Minaj’s commitment to Black people and immigrants.

Nicki Minaj Under Fire

Joy Reid launched what’s being called her most vicious attack yet on Nicki Minaj. She used the term “house pet” repeatedly to describe the rapper’s relationship with the MAGA movement. Reid stated that the Republican side is “giddy” about having Minaj, even though they “despise” her. She claimed they need her to give them “cultural cool.” This comes after Donald Trump posted and deleted a racist video. Trump later stated a staffer made the error.

Escalating Feud

The conflict between Joy Reid and Nicki Minaj dates back to September 2021. At that time, Reid criticized Minaj on The ReidOut. This was after the rapper expressed vaccine hesitancy on social media. Nicki Minaj fired back, calling Reid “thirsty to down another black woman.” She also accused Reid of being an “uncle tomiana doing the work” for white men. Reid has now escalated the conflict with more personal attacks. She said on Lemon’s show that Minaj will “never be Rihanna” or “have a brand like Rihanna.”

Political Shift

Joy Reid called the 42-year-old rapper a “black female rapper who clearly don’t care that much about Black people or immigrants.” She pointed out that Minaj herself was once an undocumented immigrant. Nicki Minaj’s political stance has seen a significant shift. In 2020, she criticized Trump’s immigration policies. However, by 2025, Nicki Minaj became one of Trump’s most vocal celebrity supporters. She even called herself Trump’s “number one fan” at a Treasury Department summit in January

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