Rapper Nicki Minaj joined President Donald Trump onstage at a Republican campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, Oct. 25, and told the crowd she would keep supporting him as the party campaigns before the Nov. 3 midterm elections^1,3,5.

Minaj traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One, according to BBC, Africanews and Euronews^1,3,5. She led chants for Trump and for Michigan Republican candidates and said the elections were a major turning point¹.

Minaj said Trump had changed the energy of the country and given people a future to look forward to^1,4. Africanews and Euronews reported she told the crowd, We love Trump, and promised to support him forever^3,5.

Premium Times, citing her remarks, said she also argued mothers wanted children left out of debates over sex changes⁴. BBC noted she has called herself Trump's number one fan after criticizing some of his first-term policies¹. Africanews and Euronews said she had in 2020 criticized family separations at the U.S. border^3,5.

Trump commented on Minaj's appearance before calling her up, according to BBC, Al Jazeera, Premium Times and The Guardian^1,2,4,6. BBC reported he later said she never looked more beautiful and that she was smart¹. Premium Times said he hoped he had not offended her⁴.

The stop was aimed at Michigan's U.S. Senate race between Republican Mike Rogers and Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, which BBC described as tight with a little more than a week until Election Day^1,6. Former President Barack Obama campaigned with El-Sayed on Saturday, BBC reported¹.

In his Sunday remarks, Trump focused on El-Sayed's Muslim faith and background and alleged El-Sayed would invite jihadists into the United States if he wins, BBC reported¹. Africanews and Euronews said Trump questioned El-Sayed's loyalty; they reported El-Sayed has repeatedly rejected those claims^3,5. El-Sayed, in an ad cited by BBC, said Trump was using his name and faith to distract from prices and health costs¹.

BBC said the White House press secretary post is open after Katie Zacharia left five days after her public debut, and that Minaj filmed a video on Air Force One pretending to interview for the job¹. Africanews and Euronews said White House communications director Steven Cheung shared a video of her joking about becoming press secretary^3,5.