Don LemoncriticizedNicki Minajafter she called for his arrest over covering ananti-ICE protest at a Minnesota church.
In a post on X, Minaj called Lemon "disgusting" and referred to him with an anti-gay slur after the former CNN anchorlivestreamedan anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota on Jan. 18.A group of protesters interrupted a serviceover claims that one of the church's pastors works for ICE.
"How dare you? I want that thug in jail!" Minaj wrote in all-caps on X on Jan. 19. "He would never do that to any other religion. Lock him up!"
She went on to respond to several other tweets about Lemon, including one where she said she"purposely wrote"her initial post with an anti-gay slur.
"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," she wrote.
Lemon responded in an Instagram video that day, calling Minaj's post "unhinged" and "homophobic."
More:DOJ to investigate anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church. What we know.
"You're out of your depth," Lemon said, before raising questions about Minaj's citizenship status. The rapper, who is originally from Trinidad and Tobago, has reportedly said thatshe is not a U.S. citizen.
The former CNN anchor also raised the status of Minaj's husband,Kenneth Petty, as a registered Level 2 sex offender.
"You have nerve to talk about me and what you think that I do," Lemon said. "Nicki Minaj, get a life. Stop being a pick me."
USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Minaj and Lemon.
Nicki Minaj's legendary rap career has spanned nearly two decades. From breakout mixtapes to chart-topping crossover albums, she has shaped pop culture, fashion and the rap game along the way. Scroll on for a look back at her career." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during her Pink Friday 2 World Tour at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 7, 2024, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 12, 2023, in Newark, New Jersey." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj accepts the best hip-hop video award for "Do We Have a Problem?" onstage at the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on Aug. 28, 2022, in Newark, New Jersey." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Here, Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty pose at the Marc Jacobs Fall 2020 runway show during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 12, 2020, in New York City. The couple welcomed their first child together on Sept. 30, 2020, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj accepts the Gamechanger Award at the Billboard Women In Music event on Dec. 12, 2019, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj works the runway in an elegant pink train at the 2019 Met Gala "Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion" on May 6, 2019, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj rocks a short, blonde hairdo during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 11, 2018, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj attends the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 27, 2017, in Inglewood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs on stage during the 2017 NBA Awards Live on TNT on June 26, 2017, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Fergie, Kim Kardashian West and Nicki Minaj attend the Daily Front Row's third annual Fashion Los Angeles Awards at Sunset Tower Hotel on April 2, 2017, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Minnie Mouse and Nicki Minaj attend the Fashion LA Awards. Minnie is wearing a custom alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet dress at the Sunset Tower Hotel on April 2, 2017, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj, right, and Meek Mill watch the game between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Portland Trail Blazers in Philadelphia on Jan. 16, 2016." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé perform onstage during TIDAL X: 1020 Amplified by HTC at Barclays Center of Brooklyn on Oct. 20, 2015, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Victor Cruz, Debbie Harry, Nicki Minaj and June Ambrose attend the Givenchy fashion show during Spring 2016 New York Fashion Week at Pier 26 at Hudson River Park on Sept. 11, 2015, in New York City. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Cedric The Entertainer as Eddie, left, Nicki Minaj as Draya and Ice Cube as Calvin in a scene from the film "Barbershop: The Next Cut."" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 2015 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 17, 2015, in Las Vegas." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
From left, Charli XCX, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande perform onstage at the 2014 American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 23, 2014, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs at Fashion Rocks 2014 at the Barclays Center on Sept. 9, 2014, in Brooklyn, New York." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
(Front to back) Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande perform onstage during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards on Aug. 24, 2014, in Inglewood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, Nicki Minaj and Kate Upton speak onstage at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards at Nokia Theatre on April 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. " style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj attends her Kmart collection private event at Fig & Olive Melrose Place on March 1, 2013, in West Hollywood, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during the 40th American Music Awards held at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 18, 2012, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards at Staples Center on Sept. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj onstage at the 2013 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards at Hammerstein Ballroom on Aug. 22, 2013, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs at the Nokia Theatre on Aug. 8, 2012, in Los Angeles" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj visits BET's "106 & Park" at the BET Studios on April 2, 2012, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj speaks onstage during The Grammy nominations concert live countdown to music's biggest night at Nokia Theatre on Nov. 30, 2011, in Los Angeles." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj (L) and editor-in-chief of American Vogue, Anna Wintour, attend the Carolina Herrera Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Theater at Lincoln Center on Sept. 12, 2011, in New York City." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj arrives at the 2011 Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on Feb. 11, 2011." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> 
Nicki Minaj performs onstage during "VH1 Divas Salute the Troops" presented by the USO at the MCAS Miramar on Dec. 3, 2010, in Miramar, California." style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Nicki Minaj: See her award-winning rap career in pictures
Nicki Minaj's legendary rap career has spanned nearly two decades. From breakout mixtapes to chart-topping crossover albums, she has shaped pop culture, fashion and the rap game along the way. Scroll on for a look back at her career.
Minaj has in recent months taken topublicly supporting President Donald Trump's administration. In 2025, she alsoworked withUnited Nations ambassadorMike Waltzto speak out aboutalleged anti-Christian violencein Nigeria; Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubuhas deniedthe characterization of the country as being "religiously intolerant."
Lemon, who is openly gay, was an anchor on CNN for nearly a decade from 2014 until hisfiringin April 2023. He laterlaunched his own media companyand hosts an eponymous podcast,"The Don Lemon Show."
Nicki Minaj's criticism of Don Lemon stems from anti-ICE protest at church
Lemon was one of several journalists in attendance at the Minnesota church protest.
Social media videos showed a group of protesters entering the Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Jan. 18. They made unverified claims that one of the church's pastors works for ICE. The Department of Homeland Security has declined to comment.
In Lemon's nearlyseven-hour livestream, he spoke with congregation members, protestors and one of the church's pastors.
"This is unacceptable," Lead Pastor Jonathan Parnell told Lemon. "It's shameful to interrupt a public gathering of Christians in worship."
"This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is directing ICE agents to wreak havoc upon our community," protester Nekima Levy Armstrong told Lemon.
The protest came less than two weeks after an ICE agent fatally shotRenee Goodon Jan. 7 in Minneapolis.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson and Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached atmelina.khan@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Don Lemon, Nicki Minaj blast each other after anti-ICE church protest
