At a Glance
- Nicki Minaj called Don Lemon a homophobic slur after he reported on activists disrupting a Minnesota church service
- The church’s pastor, David Easterwood, simultaneously serves as Acting Director of ICE’s St. Paul Field Office
- Lemon, who is openly gay, dismissed Minaj’s attack as uninformed about journalism
- Why it matters: The clash spotlights rising tension between immigrant-rights protesters and federal agents in Minnesota
Don Lemon is pushing back after rapper Nicki Minaj unleashed a homophobic attack on social media over his coverage of a protest that targeted a church tied to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The Protest That Sparked the Feud
On January 18, the independent journalist posted footage showing activists interrupting Sunday worship at The Cities Church in St. Paul. Demonstrators objected to the dual role of David Easterwood, a pastor at the church who also leads ICE enforcement across Minnesota as Acting Director of the agency’s St. Paul Field Office.
Lemon, 59, shared the video on Bluesky, noting:
> “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.”
The protest is part of a broader backlash against ICE operations that have intensified since several violent encounters, including the fatal shooting of Renee Good by agent Jonathan Ross and a separate non-fatal shooting in North Minneapolis.
Minaj’s Overnight Tirade
Within hours, Minaj, 43, responded on X (formerly Twitter), writing in all caps:
> “DON ‘C— 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!!!!!”
She paired the message with an image of a Chucky doll, a horror-film reference implying menace.
Lemon, who wed longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024, brushed off the insult in a statement to TMZ:
> “I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity. However, the more appropriate image for her post is a ‘Pick Me’ Doll.”
Rising Tensions in Minnesota
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says the city has filed litigation to halt ICE deployments, declaring:
> “We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another.”
The mayor’s move follows a string of confrontations between residents and federal agents conducting immigration crackdowns statewide.
Minaj’s Growing Political Voice
The slur-laden post is the latest in a series of politically charged statements from the rapper. In November she thanked President Donald Trump during a United Nations speech on religious violence in Nigeria, asserting that “faith is being attacked in too many places” and “Christians are being targeted.”
Last month Minaj appeared onstage with Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, where she told the audience:
> “Boys, be boys… It’s okay be boys… There’s nothing wrong with being a boy.”
Many viewers interpreted the remarks as anti-transgender rhetoric, prompting additional backlash.
Key Takeaways
- A single social-media post by Lemon ignited a national celebrity feud rooted in local immigration politics
- Easterwood’s dual identity as pastor and ICE field-office director has made the church a flashpoint for protests
- Minaj’s use of a homophobic slur amplifies scrutiny on public figures’ rhetoric around LGBTQ+ communities
- The incident underscores how national personalities can rapidly escalate localized policy disputes
