Don Lemon fires back at Nicki Minaj over homophobic slur directed at his ICE protest coverage

LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK: Independent journalist Don Lemon has responded after rapper Nicki Minaj directed a homophobic slur at him in reaction to his reporting on a protest in Minnesota involving US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The incident sparked public controversy after Lemon shared footage from the protest, which showed activists disrupting a church service. The post prompted sharp social media criticism from Minaj, who targeted Lemon personally rather than addressing the substance of his reporting. In his response, Lemon pushed back on her characterization and defended his journalistic work.

Nicki Minaj’s reaction and homophobic slur directed at Don Lemon

On Sunday, January 18, Lemon posted video footage from St. Paul, Minnesota, capturing activists interrupting a service at Cities Church, where Easterwood serves as a pastor. The protest was part of broader tensions surrounding ICE’s activities in the state. 

In response to Lemon’s coverage, Nicki Minaj took to X and sharply criticized him, writing an all-caps post that included a homophobic slur and accusations that Lemon would not treat other religions the same way. Her post also featured an image of a Chucky doll, further amplifying the backlash.

Lemon, who has identified himself as gay and married his longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024, drew widespread attention after Minaj’s wording was condemned as a homophobic slur that targeted his personal identity rather than his reporting.

Minaj has been outspoken on political and social issues in recent months, including a November appearance at the United Nations, where she thanked President Donald Trump and spoke about religious violence, comments that had already drawn significant attention.

Don Lemon’s responds to Nicki Minaj

In response to Minaj’s attack, Lemon issued a statement to TMZ, defending his journalistic work and criticizing her understanding of media coverage. “I’m not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity,” he said.

Lemon also addressed the image Minaj used in her post, referring to it as a “Pick Me Doll,” and suggested her comments were more about attention than making a substantive point. He stood by his decision to share the protest footage, emphasizing that documenting current events is part of his role as a journalist.

The protest Lemon covered took place amid heightened tensions involving ICE, including the shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. In response to the situation, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the city has filed litigation to end ICE’s deployment, stating, “We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another."