The key facts
- Steven Cheung called Nicki Minaj a possible new White House press secretary in an ironic comment on the video
- No actual appointment is being discussed: the singer supports Trump and the Republicans
- Karoline Leavitt worked as press secretary for five days; her briefing lasted 14 minutes
A joke about a new candidate
Rapper Nicki Minaj unexpectedly found herself at the center of discussions about who would become Donald Trump's new press secretary. The reason was a joke by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, who suggested the singer for the position after a brief interview aboard the presidential plane, Life.ru reports.
What happened aboard the plane
Cheung posted a video of the conversation with the performer on the social network X. During the talk, he asked whether there was anyone who worked harder than Trump during the election campaign. Minaj replied that there was no such person. Her confidence pleased the administration official, and he accompanied the recording with an ironic comment: “Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House press secretary!”
No actual appointment is being discussed
According to the outlet, there is no talk of an actual appointment. The singer openly supports the US president and the Republicans, and also takes part in events connected with his political team.
Context: Karoline Leavitt's five-day tenure
The joke came against the backdrop of personnel changes in the administration. The previous press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, lasted only five days in the post. As Life.ru reported on October 16, her debut briefing before journalists lasted 14 minutes, during which she managed to answer questions from only three outlets. The performance drew criticism, and Trump admitted he had advised the staffer to reconsider her decision to work as press secretary. Soon after, US media reported her dismissal, while the president publicly emphasized that he had a good attitude toward Leavitt.
Why it matters
The situation shows that personnel decisions in the White House press office remain in the public eye and change quickly: the press secretary post became vacant five days after the appointment. For readers, this means continued uncertainty about who will represent the administration at briefings; there is no confirmed successor to Leavitt at this point, and Cheung's words are an ironic comment, not an official appointment.
