2026 Grammys: Nicki Minaj, Donald Trump and Trevor Noah — All You Need to Know About the Drama

The 2026 Grammy Awards erupted into controversy on Sunday night after host Trevor Noah’s opening jokes about Nicki Minaj and President Donald Trump sparked political backlash, social media outrage and a swift response from the White House.

Host Trevor Noah wasted little time setting the tone. After greeting a star-studded audience that included Justin and Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, Pharrell Williams and Tyler, the Creator, Noah turned his attention to a conspicuous absence.

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“Nicki Minaj is not here,” he told the crowd, prompting cheers. He followed up with a jab that tied pop culture directly to politics: “She’s still at the White House with Donald Trump, discussing very important issues.”

The joke landed loudly, and Noah leaned further into satire by slipping into a mock impression of the US President during what he announced would be his final turn as Grammys host

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Minaj’s name had already been trending days earlier after photographs surfaced of her holding hands with President Trump at the US Treasury Department during a Trump Accounts Summit. The rapper later referred to herself publicly as Trump’s “number one fan”, fuelling online debate about her political alignment.

Neither the White House nor Minaj’s representatives responded to media requests for comment following the broadcast.

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Politics surfaced elsewhere throughout the evening. Several celebrities, including Justin and Hailey Bieber, arrived on the red carpet wearing “Ice Out” badges in protest against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The ceremony’s jokes did not go unnoticed by the White House. President Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to condemn both the show and its host, branding the event “virtually unwatchable” and hinting at legal action.

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Trump responded furiously online, writing: “The Grammy Awards are the WORST, virtually unwatchable! The host, Trevor Noah, whoever he may be, is almost as bad as Jimmy Kimmel at the Low Ratings Academy Awards.”

He also rejected any implication of a connection to Jeffrey Epstein, insisting: “WRONG!!! I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close.”

The President went on to describe Noah as “a total loser” and warned that legal action might follow, concluding with a public threat: “Get ready, Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!”

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The backlash unfolded against the backdrop of renewed attention on Jeffrey Epstein, following the US Justice Department’s release of millions of pages of documents connected to the convicted sex offender. The files, which include videos, images and testimony, contain allegations and references involving multiple high-profile figures.

Trump’s name appears in parts of the material, including previously reported flight logs from the 1990s, though he has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Hours after the Grammys ended, Nicki Minaj reignited the controversy with a social media post aimed directly at Noah. In the tweet, she accused him of refusing to come out publicly and alluded to details about his personal life, adding the word “allegedly”.

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The response was swift and overwhelmingly critical. Many users accused Minaj of crossing an ethical line by speculating about someone’s sexuality, arguing that the attack shifted the debate away from comedy, politics and accountability into something far more personal.

Even some of her long-time supporters distanced themselves, saying the post had little to do with humour and everything to do with hostility.

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