Don Lemon, a prominent independent journalist, has spoken out after Nicki Minaj called him a homophobic slur in response to his recent political coverage in Minnesota. On Sunday, January 18th, Lemon shared video footage from a protest in the Twin Cities, where activists disrupted a church service at which David Easterwood—a local Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent—served as a pastor.
Easterwood is listed as a pastor on the Cities Church website, and he is also the Acting Director of ICE's Saint Paul Field Office, as stated in a cease and desist letter sent by St. Paul City Attorney Lyndsey M. Olson over an ICE-related incident in December.
Lemon, 59, posted on Bluesky alongside a video from the protest, stating: "Minneapolis activists disrupted a church service where David Easterwood serves as a pastor. Easterwood is also the acting field office director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in St. Paul, Minnesota."
Minaj reacted to Lemon's coverage overnight with a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing: "DON 'C--- 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!!!!!" Accompanying her post was a photo of a Chucky doll.
Lemon, who is openly gay and married his longtime partner Tim Malone in 2024, responded to Minaj in a statement to TMZ: "I'm not surprised Nicki Minaj does not understand journalism and is weighing in on matters that are above her capacity. However, the more appropriate image for her post is a 'Pick Me' Doll."
Minaj has become increasingly outspoken about certain issues in recent months. In November, she thanked President Donald Trump in a United Nations speech about religious violence in Nigeria, stating that "faith is being attacked in too many places" and that "Christians are being targeted."
Minaj's use of a homophobic slur comes just one month after she appeared onstage with Erika Kirk at Turning Point USA's AmericaFest. After the event, the rapper faced backlash for saying, "Boys, be boys... It's okay to be boys... There's nothing wrong with being a boy," which many interpreted as anti-transgender rhetoric.
In Minnesota, tensions have escalated between residents and ICE agents following several violent encounters between the two amid crackdowns, including the shooting death of Renee Good by an ICE agent, Jonathan Ross, in Minneapolis and another shooting of a man by an ICE agent in North Minneapolis.
Amid these incidents, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has said the city has filed litigation to end ICE's deployment. "We cannot be at a place right now in America where we have two governmental entities that are literally fighting one another," he said last week.
