Tens of thousands of conservatives who gathered for Turning Point Action’s AmericaFest on Sunday received a surprise phone call from President Trump and an appearance from rapper Nicki Minaj.
The surprises, along with scheduled remarks from headline speakers Vice President J.D. Vance and Donald Trump Jr., capped off the conservative grassroots organization’s four-day conference at the Phoenix Convention Center in Arizona.
The younger Mr. Trump called his father at the end of his speech. President Trump, who was at Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach at the time, told the group he had wanted to be with them but would be “soon.”
“I just want to say that nobody did more for me than Charlie [Kirk] and there’s nobody better than Erika [Kirk], and you are the greatest people on earth,” the president said.
He praised the activists for their help with door-knocking and voter turnout for his 2024 win.
“I just want to thank you all,” he said. “I hope my son is doing a good job representing me. Otherwise I’ll have to say, ’You’re fired, Don, you’re fired.’”
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The elder Mr. Trump added of his son: “If he doesn’t make a great speech, let me know about it. I’ll give him hell.”
The younger man joked that he was happy his father answered the call.
“I’m not good at much, guys. But I can call in the big guns sometimes,” he said. “It’s always nice when he actually picks up the phone. It’s a lot more awkward when you’re in front of 30,000 people and it goes to voicemail.”
The second surprise of the day came shortly after as Mrs. Kirk, who took over as CEO of Turning Point USA after her husband was assassinated, brought Ms. Minaj out on stage for an interview.
“Charlie was very good about having a surprise for every AmFest. And we are so blessed to have you,” Mrs. Kirk said to Ms. Minaj.
Ms. Minaj has been vocal about her support for the president and has recently made headlines for attacking California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom on social media. She read some of those posts for the crowd on Sunday.
The rapper spoke about “the utmost respect and adoration” she has for Mr. Trump.
“I don’t know if he even knows this, but he’s given so many people hope that there’s a chance to beat the bad guys and to win. And to do it with your head held high, and your integrity intact,” Ms. Minaj said.
She said Mr. Trump, having been “lied on” and attacked by his political opponents, has demonstrated how people can come back from “the worst feeling times in your life.”
Ms. Minaj said the Trump administration “is full of people with heart and soul,” and she said she loves the president and Mr. Vance and views them as “powerful men, smart, strong, all of that,” but most importantly, relatable.
“When I hear them speak, I know that they’re one of us,” she said. “They’re still connected to the world and what’s happening in the world, with the younger people and older people, with the richer people and not so rich people. They have the ability to still connect and be real and make us feel proud to be American.”
Mrs. Kirk asked Ms. Minaj about the backlash she’s received in the entertainment industry for her political views.
“I didn’t notice,” she said, smirking.
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.
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