Laura Ingraham faced an embarrassing on-air correction on her Fox News show after confusing rapper Nicki Minaj with Cardi B while discussing Minaj’s recent appearance at a Trump administration event in Washington, D.C.
The 62-year-old host of The Ingraham Angle was interviewing Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio about the Trump Accounts initiative when she mistakenly attributed the explicit 2020 song “WAP” to Minaj. The song was actually performed by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
Minaj, 43, had appeared earlier that day at a Treasury Department event to promote Trump Accounts, an initiative designed to help parents save money for their newborns. During her appearance, the Trinidad-born rapper declared herself the president’s biggest supporter.
“I am probably the president’s number one fan, and that’s not going to change,” Minaj said at the event with Trump, 79.
During her broadcast, Ingraham discussed Minaj’s unlikely alliance with the president while interviewing Moreno. The show displayed a chyron dubbing the rapper “MAGA Minaj” as Ingraham critiqued her music catalog.
Ingraham said conservatives, including herself, were disgusted by lyrics in some of Minaj’s songs over the years, then wrongly attributed “WAP” to the rapper. Almost immediately, a producer named Sam corrected Ingraham through her earpiece, saying “That’s Cardi B,” prompting an awkward pause on air.
Ingraham thanked producer Sam for the correction as Moreno laughed at the mistake. The Fox News host later apologized for the mix-up, saying she couldn’t believe she had insulted Minaj by comparing her to Cardi B.
Ingraham added that she is a country music fan before apologizing for the confusion.
The song “WAP” stands for “Wet Ass Pussy” and was released in 2020 by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. The explicit track became a cultural flashpoint, with conservative commentators frequently criticizing its sexually explicit lyrics.
The gaffe quickly went viral on social media, with critics accusing Ingraham of mixing up Black women entertainers. CNN political commentator Bakari Sellers was among those commenting on the incident.
Despite the awkward correction, Ingraham continued her interview with Moreno, asking him about the significance of Minaj’s support for Trump. Moreno said it’s a big deal, arguing that Minaj’s endorsement challenges stereotypes about Trump supporters.
At the Treasury Department event, Minaj appeared alongside Trump to promote the Trump Accounts program. The rapper addressed criticism of her conservative turn directly, saying the hate or what people have to say does not affect her. “It actually motivates me to support him more,” Minaj said.
During the event, Minaj received a Trump Gold Card, which costs one million dollars with a fifteen thousand dollar processing fee. However, Minaj claimed she received the card free of charge. Trump stated that Minaj was investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the program.
The Trump Gold Card program has drawn both supporters who see it as an innovative way to generate government revenue and critics who question its implications.
Minaj’s immigration status has been a topic of discussion, particularly given her vocal support for Trump’s policies. The rapper, who is originally from Trinidad, admitted she came to America illegally as a child. She now holds a green card, which grants her permanent resident status in the United States.
The rapper’s embrace of Trump and conservative politics marks a significant shift. Her appearance at the White House represents one of the most high-profile celebrity endorsements Trump has received. Celebrity political endorsements have long been a feature of American politics, though they remain controversial, with critics questioning whether entertainers’ political opinions carry undue influence over their fans.
Minaj’s support for Trump has generated significant backlash from her fanbase and civil rights organizations. Despite this opposition, she has remained steadfast in her endorsement, using her platform to defend the president against what she characterizes as unfair attacks and smear campaigns.
The incident on The Ingraham Angle highlights the challenges media personalities face when covering topics outside their usual expertise. Ingraham’s admission that she is a country music fan rather than a hip-hop enthusiast may explain her unfamiliarity with the distinct careers and catalogs of different rap artists. However, the mistake also reinforced longstanding criticism that some media figures fail to distinguish between Black entertainers.
The broadcast quickly became one of the most-discussed Fox News moments on social media platforms, with clips of the correction circulating widely on X and other networks. The viral nature of the clip demonstrates how quickly on-air mistakes can spread in the digital age, where viewers can instantly share and comment on broadcast content.
For Minaj, the incident occurred on the same day she made headlines for her White House appearance and her enthusiastic endorsement of the president. Her transformation into what some have dubbed “MAGA Minaj” represents one of the more unexpected celebrity political alignments in recent memory.
The Trump Accounts initiative that brought Minaj to Washington aims to provide financial support for American families with newborns. The program represents one of several family-focused policies the Trump administration has promoted. Supporters argue such programs help American families build wealth from an early age, while critics question the program’s long-term fiscal sustainability and whether wealthy individuals like Minaj should be the public face of initiatives meant to help ordinary Americans.