Laura Ingraham issued an on-air correction during her Fox News broadcast on January 28 after mistakenly mixing up rappers Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. The slip happened while she was talking about Minaj’s recent appearance at an event hosted by the Trump administration in Washington, D.C.
Ingraham, 62, who hosts The Ingraham Angle, was speaking with Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno about the Trump Accounts effort. She wrongly credited Minaj with performing the explicit 2020 track “WAP,” which was actually released by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion.
Earlier, Minaj, 43, had taken part in a Treasury Department gathering at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium to support the Trump Accounts program, which aims to help parents save money for their newborns. During the event, the Trinidadian artist declared herself the president’s most passionate supporter.
“I’m probably the president’s biggest fan, and that’s not going to change,” Minaj said while joining Trump, 79, at the event.
While speaking to Moreno later that evening, Ingraham highlighted Minaj’s surprising political stance. The broadcast displayed a chyron that read “MAGA Minaj” as Ingraham criticized some of Minaj’s music.
During the exchange, Ingraham, who leans conservative, remarked that she disliked some of Minaj’s lyrics and mistakenly said Minaj was behind “WAP.” A producer named Sam quickly corrected her through her earpiece, saying, “That’s Cardi B,” which caused a tense moment on live TV.
Ingraham acknowledged the correction, prompting Moreno to laugh. She later apologized for the mistake after the on-air correction.
Before apologizing, she also mentioned that country music was her personal preference.
“WAP,” an acronym for a sexually explicit phrase, was a 2020 release by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion. The track sparked significant debate due to its graphic content and was often criticized by conservative pundits.
The blunder quickly drew attention across social platforms, with critics accusing Ingraham of confusing two Black female artists. CNN commentator Bakari Sellers also weighed in on the situation.
Despite the awkward moment, Ingraham resumed her conversation with Moreno, focusing on what Minaj’s backing might mean for Trump. Moreno argued that Minaj’s endorsement breaks stereotypes about the president’s base of supporters.
At the Treasury event, Minaj stood with Trump to promote the Trump Accounts initiative. She directly addressed criticism of her conservative shift and said it did not bother her. “It actually pushes me to support him even more,” she said.
Minaj was also presented with a Trump Gold Card, valued at $1 million with a $15,000 processing cost. Minaj claimed she received it at no charge. Trump added that Minaj was investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Trump Accounts initiative.
The Gold Card given to Minaj was symbolic rather than an official visa document. Minaj has been a legal permanent resident since obtaining her green card after arriving in the U.S. at age five. Her immigration history has resurfaced amid her political comments; she has said she came to the U.S. without authorization at age five but later obtained a green card.
Supporters of the Trump Gold Card initiative view it as an innovative revenue generator for the government, while critics have raised concerns about its broader impact.
Minaj’s endorsement of Trump represents a significant political turn. Her appearance at the event marks one of Trump’s most prominent celebrity endorsements. Although celebrity political support has long been part of U.S. culture, it remains divisive, with detractors questioning its influence on voters.
Minaj’s public support of Trump has drawn backlash from fans and civil rights groups. Still, she has stood firm, regularly defending Trump against what she describes as biased criticism.
The on-air mix-up on The Ingraham Angle highlights the challenges TV hosts encounter when addressing topics outside their normal expertise. Ingraham’s comment about preferring country music may help explain her unfamiliarity with the careers of various rap artists, though critics argued the mistake echoed ongoing concerns about some media figures’ tendency to confuse Black entertainers.
The live correction quickly went viral, with clips spreading across multiple platforms. The rapid circulation demonstrated how swiftly broadcast blunders can gain traction in the digital era.
The moment unfolded the same day Minaj made additional headlines for visiting the Oval Office and offering enthusiastic praise for the president. Her evolution into what some online users have called “MAGA Minaj” marks one of the more unexpected political shifts among celebrities in recent years.
The Trump Accounts initiative that brought Minaj to Washington is one of several family-oriented policies supported by the Trump administration. Backers say the initiative helps families build financial security from birth, while critics raise concerns about its long-term fiscal viability and question whether wealthy figures like Minaj should represent programs aimed at ordinary Americans.