February 1, 2026
Officials clarified the rapper’s viral post, saying the gold-colored card carries no legal status and does not affect her path to U.S. citizenship.
A White House official says the “Trump Gold Card” recently displayed online by rapper Nicki Minaj is not a valid immigration document but a keepsake with no legal standing, contradicting claims the artist made on social media.
Trinidad-born Minaj has lived in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident for about two decades, despite indicating she was initially brought to the country as an illegal immigrant. Recently she shared photos of a gold-colored card bearing President Donald Trump’s image. The card has been marketed by the White House as a fast-track path to American citizenship for individuals willing to contribute $1 million to the U.S. Treasury and pay a $15,000 nonrefundable processing fee. In a separate post, Minaj suggested she received the card “free of charge.”
A White House official, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, dismissed those claims, explaining that Minaj was given only a novelty item. According to the official, the rapper has been a legal permanent resident for roughly two decades and is already in the process of applying for citizenship, making any expedited immigration program unnecessary in her case. The official added that the gold card she received “serves little value” beyond being a memento.
Minaj’s posts followed her appearance at a White House event earlier this week promoting children’s investment accounts created under a Trump-backed spending package. During the event, the president praised the rapper, calling her “the greatest” and “the most successful female rapper in history.”
Trump also highlighted her financial support for the initiative, saying, “Nicki makes a lot of money, and she’s generously stepping up. She’s investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in Trump accounts to support the children and really, really the children of her incredible fans.”
The artist, who in 2024 became the first female rapper to earn Diamond certification for two songs from the Recording Industry Association of America, has increasingly aligned herself with Trump and the MAGA movement. Trump described Minaj as “a big Trump supporter and a Trump fan” who has taken “a little heat on occasion” but remains “an unbelievable supporter.”
Appearing alongside Trump in a white fur-trimmed coat, Minaj told the audience she was unsure what to say but declared herself the president’s “No. 1 fan.” She insisted her support was unwavering, adding, “And the hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all. It actually motivates me to support him more, and it’s going to motivate all of us to support him more.”
“We’re not going to let them get away with bullying him and you know, the smear campaigns, it’s not going to work,” she continued. Minaj also said she believes “God is protecting” the president.
While Minaj’s political turn has drawn criticism from fans, LGBTQ advocates and civil rights groups, the White House made clear that her much-discussed gold card is symbolic only—and not a shortcut through the U.S. immigration system.
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