Nicki Minaj posted a picture that seemed to show her sitting in a car with President Donald Trump, both dressed in pink. The image quickly spread on social media as users questioned its authenticity.
Minaj shared the image on X late Sunday, February 16, with the caption “Happy #PresidentsDay,” according to Newsweek and other outlets that shared the post. It became viral within hours, sparking a mix of reactions that ranged from praise to frustration as people debated whether the picture depicted a real meeting between the rapper and the president.
Independent fact-checkers later determined the image was made with artificial intelligence and did not show a real moment between Minaj and Trump, as reported by Newsweek. The outlet explained that reverse-image searches traced the picture to an Instagram account known for posting AI-created celebrity visuals. TMZ also described the images as AI-generated and reposted Minaj’s Presidents Day caption alongside screenshots of the post.
Users online reacted in sharply different ways. Newsweek quoted one person who said, “Come on Nicki your fans deserve more than this are you retiring or nah?” Another user commented, “Can’t tell if this is AI or not but I love it. Seems like something Trump would do just to troll the left.”
Newsweek reported that the post gained millions of views on X by Monday morning. The image continued to circulate as screenshots and reposts appeared across platforms. Public interest in the picture sparked a broader conversation about how quickly synthetic images can spread when shared by major celebrity accounts, particularly when the post doesn’t include a label identifying it as AI-generated.
Happy #PresidentsDay pic.twitter.com/uVvRK4MnJ5
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) February 16, 2026
The viral post came at a time when Minaj has begun to speak more openly about her support for Trump in recent weeks. In an interview on “The Katie Miller Podcast,” Minaj shared her reasons in personal terms. “When I saw how he was being treated over and over, I just couldn’t handle it,” she said, according to a transcript published by Singju Post. “I felt that same bullying, smear campaigns, and all the lying had been done to me for so many years. I was watching it happen to someone else, and I didn’t think he deserved it.”
Minaj also mentioned in the same interview that she has specific issues she cares about, including “religious freedom.” She talked about reaching out to Trump during the campaign to ask questions, according to the transcript.
Entertainment Weekly reported earlier this month that comedian Mike Epps publicly apologized after making a crude joke involving Minaj and Trump during a stand-up performance in Louisville, Kentucky, on February 6. Epps stated in an Instagram Stories apology that he had “prayed on it” and wanted to apologize to Minaj and her family.
The Presidents Day image continued to spread into Tuesday, February 17, as various outlets and social accounts reposted the screenshot and the AI determination. Minaj did not credit the image’s origin but it’s another sign that the rapper is not backing down as backlash mounts for her political turn that has alienated some of her hardcore supporters.
