Don Lemon is not holding back in his response to Nicki Minaj after she called him a homophobic slur over one of his reports on ICE protests in Minneapolis.
The former CNN anchor, who is openly gay, went off on the rapper during an interview with TMZ, calling her a “homophobic, bigoted, ignorant woman” after she called him “disgusting” for his coverage.
“This is clearly out of her depth. She doesn’t understand politics. She doesn’t understand journalism. And I’m not surprised that she is weighing in on something that is beyond her capacity,” Lemon said. “I think she put the Chucky doll in [her post]. A better symbol that should have been represented in that picture is a ‘Pick Me’ doll because Nicki Minaj is a pick me. She will do anything that is expedient for her politically. And again, she’s ignorant. She doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s always weighing in on things that she doesn’t know about. Nicki Minaj should just sit the fuck down.”
On Sunday, Lemon shared a video on his social media accounts of him interviewing protesters in Minneapolis before they interrupted a local church service, chanting “ICE out” and demanding justice for Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent earlier this month. One of the church’s pastors is allegedly an ICE agent.
Minaj then took to her X account to slam the journalist over the video, writing, “DON ‘COCK 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 also included a photo of Chucky in her post.
Despite backlash, the “Super Bass” rapper doubled down, writing on X Monday, “LOL!!! And I purposely wrote it that way b/c I knew that would be the only way to get the cock suckas to post about it. They would’ve all collectively ignored the despicable behavior displayed by Lemon head. I’m glad they’re angry. They’re about to get angrier.”
Recently, Minaj has become more vocal about politics, specifically her conservative viewpoints and support for President Donald Trump. At the end of December, she even made a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest, joining Erika Kirk on stage to bash California Gov. Gavin Newsom and praise Trump.
“I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president,” she said at the event. “I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope.”
