Nicki Minaj’s increasingly vocal support for Donald Trump and conservative political viewpoints has drawn scrutiny, with a new report alleging that a significant portion of the engagement with her posts is being driven by thousands of bot accounts. The analysis, published Monday by Politico, suggests a coordinated effort to amplify the rapper’s pro-Trump messaging on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The report, compiled by disinformation detection company Cyabra, identified over 18,000 bots working to boost Minaj’s posts related to the former president and conservative politics. This activity occurred between November 11 and December 28, and appears to have contributed to her ability to garner millions of views and position herself as a figure of interest to the White House, culminating in an invitation to Trump’s “Trump Accounts” summit last month. At the summit, Trump praised Minaj and the two recorded a TikTok video together.
Dan Brahmy, CEO and founder of Cyabra, told Politico that the majority of the activity originated from inauthentic profiles. “We don’t really see a lot of high volume, high impact orchestration of bad and fake actors within that intersection of the geopolitically driven and music culture,” he said. “It is scarce in our field to see the combination of the bad and the fake online world with the entertainment world.” The company’s analysis reportedly found that these bot accounts repeatedly praised Minaj’s posts using “highly similar language,” particularly in response to criticism from verified accounts.
The Rise of Political Commentary and a White House Invitation
Minaj’s foray into political commentary began to gain traction late last year, following a speech at the United Nations in November where she advocated for an finish to religious violence. She favorably mentioned Trump’s policies during the speech, which reportedly caught the former president’s attention. This led to a public connection between the two, with Trump inviting Minaj to the Trump Accounts Summit in January.
The rapper’s political alignment has sparked debate among her fanbase, with some expressing disappointment and others voicing support. She recently shared a signed Bible from Trump on X, further fueling the discussion. The timing of this increased political activity coincides with the allegations of bot activity, raising questions about the organic reach of her message.
Accusations of Inauthenticity and a Backlash
The Politico report has prompted a strong reaction, including a defense of Minaj from Trump media advisor Alex Bruesewitz. Bruesewitz dismissed the report as “100% BS!” in a post on X, arguing that Minaj, “the most popular female rapper of all time,” does not need bots to generate engagement. He also attacked Politico’s Jason Beeferman, accusing him of failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest.
Bruesewitz claimed that Cyabra has ties to individuals associated with Cardi B, a longtime rival of Minaj. He alleged that a company co-founder had previously offered to conduct tests for him, which he found unreliable, and suggested that Elon Musk had previously employed and then dismissed Cyabra at X.
This story is 100% BS! @NICKIMINAJ, the most popular female rapper of all time, does not need “bots” to promote her on social media. Politico’s Jason Beeferman is also a fake news hack who fails to disclose that the company that conducted this report, Cybara, is partnered with Cardi B’s agent. https://t.co/WwJq9wJq9q
— Alex Bruesewitz 🇺🇸 (@alexbruesewitz) February 23, 2026
The accusations quickly drew a response from Cardi B, who vehemently denied any involvement with Cyabra. In a series of posts on X, she accused Bruesewitz of attempting to involve her in a situation that didn’t concern her and threatened legal action for defamation.
Listen, you involved me in something that has nothing to do wit me so now we’re gonna talk about the facts. Cyabra is a data company with a lot of investors like Mike G, customers like Elon Musk and Pepsi that use that company for data and even has Mike Pompeo on the board of advisors. 🙄
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) February 23, 2026
The Broader Context of Bots on X
The allegations surrounding Minaj’s social media activity come amid ongoing concerns about the prevalence of bot accounts on X. The platform has struggled with inauthentic accounts for years, a problem that predates Elon Musk’s acquisition and rebranding of the platform. The current situation suggests that there may be limited barriers to prevent the spread of propaganda and artificially inflated engagement on the site.
The use of bots to amplify political messages raises questions about the integrity of online discourse and the potential for manipulation. While the extent of bot activity on X remains a subject of debate, the allegations surrounding Minaj’s account highlight the challenges of identifying and addressing inauthentic behavior on social media.
What’s Next?
The controversy surrounding Minaj’s online engagement is likely to continue as the debate over the role of bots and inauthentic accounts on X intensifies. Further investigation into the data provided by Cyabra and potential responses from X itself will be key to understanding the full scope of the issue. As of this writing, neither Minaj nor Trump have directly addressed the specific allegations of bot activity. The next step will likely be a response from X regarding the findings and any potential actions to address the issue of inauthentic accounts on the platform.
What do you believe about the allegations of bot activity surrounding Nicki Minaj’s social media presence? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
