Don Lemon And Nicki Minaj Clash Over Minnesota Protest

Don Lemon, the former CNN anchor and openly gay journalist, has found himself at the center of a heated national controversy after his coverage of an anti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church led to a torrent of online attacks, including a homophobic tirade from rapper Nicki Minaj and calls for his prosecution from prominent political figures. The incident, which unfolded between January 18 and January 20, 2026, has sparked a wider debate about journalism, free speech, and the boundaries of protest in America’s increasingly polarized climate.

The drama began on January 18, 2026, when activists in Minneapolis disrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church in St. Paul. The protest targeted David Easterwood, who serves both as a pastor at the church and as the acting field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in St. Paul. According to PEOPLE and ABC News, the demonstrators cited the recent shooting death of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross as the catalyst for their action. Video footage from multiple angles showed Good attempting to steer her vehicle away from Ross during an immigration enforcement operation—a fact that has fueled anger and calls for accountability among local activists.

Don Lemon attended the protest as a journalist, livestreaming the disruption and interviewing participants. "Minneapolis activists disrupted a church service where David Easterwood serves as a pastor," Lemon reported on Bluesky, adding context about Easterwood’s dual roles. His coverage quickly went viral, drawing praise from some for shedding light on the protesters’ motivations, but also fierce backlash from others who accused him of crossing ethical lines by filming inside a house of worship.

Nicki Minaj, the Trinidadian-born rapper known for her outspoken political views and recent embrace of conservative causes, was among Lemon’s most vociferous critics. On January 19, she posted on X (formerly Twitter), “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!!!!!” The post included an image of the horror character Chucky and quickly drew condemnation for its use of a homophobic slur. According to The Hollywood Reporter and Billboard, Minaj doubled down on her language, later admitting, “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.”

Lemon did not let the attack go unanswered. In a TikTok video posted on January 19 and in statements to TMZ and Fox News Digital, he fired back: “Nicki Minaj, stop talking about s–t for which you know nothing about. You’re out of your depth, by the way, and you are a homophobic bigot.” He continued, “You don’t care about African Americans and you’re not an African American. From what I know, you are reportedly an undocumented citizen, so you should be deported under Donald Trump’s rule.” Lemon also referenced Minaj’s immigration status, noting her admission in 2024 that she is not a U.S. citizen despite living in the country since childhood.

Lemon’s response was sharp and personal. “Get a life, stop being a pick-me. You are a pick me. And I [choose] not to pick you, and so should Black people and so should gay people, [who] shouldn’t buy your music. Clock that,” he declared on TikTok, echoing his sentiments in interviews with TMZ and other outlets. He also criticized Minaj’s recent political stances and family history, saying, “You have one family member who is a sex offender, the other family member… is reportedly a pedophile. And you have the nerve to talk about me?”

The feud quickly became a political flashpoint. Former President Donald Trump, a frequent critic of Lemon and a favorite of Minaj’s, amplified calls for Lemon’s imprisonment by sharing a Truth Social post demanding he be held to the same standard as abortion clinic protesters who received lengthy prison sentences. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice, led by Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon, weighed in with a stern warning. On January 18, Dhillon posted on X, “A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws! Nor does the First Amendment protect your pseudo journalism of disrupting a prayer service. You are on notice!” She later confirmed in an interview on The Benny Show that the DOJ was investigating the demonstration and considering charges under the federal FACE Act and the Enforcement Act of 1871.

Lemon, for his part, rejected the notion that he had orchestrated the protest, insisting he was simply doing his job as a journalist. “It’s notable that I’ve been cast as the face of a protest I was covering as a journalist — especially since I wasn’t the only reporter there. That framing is telling,” he told Fox News Digital. He also decried the “barrage of violent threats, along with homophobic and racist slurs, directed at me online by MAGA supporters and amplified by parts of the right-wing press.” Lemon argued that the real story was being lost amid the manufactured outrage: “If this much time and energy is going to be spent manufacturing outrage, it would be far better used investigating the tragic death of Renee Nicole Good — the very issue that brought people into the streets in the first place. I stand by my reporting.”

The controversy has also reignited debate about the role of journalists in covering protests, especially those that take place in sensitive or sacred spaces. Assistant Attorney General Dhillon asserted, “Don Lemon himself has come out and said he knew exactly what was going to happen inside that facility. He went into the facility, and then he began — quote, unquote — ‘committing journalism,’ as if that’s sort of a shield from being a part, an embedded part, of a criminal conspiracy. It isn’t.” Dhillon did not confirm whether Lemon would face charges, stating only that the department was “putting the facts together.”

Meanwhile, Minaj’s embrace of conservative politics and her vocal support for Trump—including a surprise appearance at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest in December—have drawn both applause and criticism. At the event, she declared, “I have the utmost respect and admiration for our president. I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope.”

As the dust settles, the Lemon-Minaj feud remains a vivid example of how quickly public discourse can devolve into personal attacks, especially when social media and partisan politics collide. For Lemon, the focus remains on his reporting and the broader issues at stake. For Minaj, the controversy appears to be a badge of honor—one she’s happy to wear as she continues to stir the cultural and political pot.

The story underscores the volatile intersection of activism, media, and celebrity in America today, where a single protest can ignite a firestorm that reaches the highest levels of government and the farthest corners of pop culture.