Did Nicki Minaj become the new White House Press Secretary?
Is Nicki Minaj going to be the next White House press secretary?
False
The claim about Nicki Minaj being the press secretary is false.
No, Nicki Minaj has not been appointed as White House Press Secretary. The claim arises from a video posted by Steven Cheung that was intended as a joke.
GenuineClaims
✕ 2 falseLadies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary! @NICKIMINAJ1235
The claim made by Steven Cheung is unequivocally false; it is established as a social media tease rather than an official announcement. Multiple reputable outlets have reported that the video of Nicki Minaj was meant as a promotional stunt, where it was clearly treated as humorous by journalists. Evidence from various news sources like AP, Mediaite, and IBTimes supports this understanding. No official communication or personnel record from the White House confirms Minaj's appointment as press secretary, and various reporting has established her status as separate from any formal hiring.
You have a man who's won three elections.
Minaj's statement regarding Donald Trump winning three elections is misleading. Historical context clarifies that Trump effectively won only two presidential elections (2016 and 2024), failing in 2020. The claim's veracity stands in contradiction to recorded electoral outcomes, strongly verified by fact-checkers.
The president 'understands economics' and 'outworks people half his age' (praise of President Trump's work ethic and competence).12
These statements about President Trump's work ethic and competence fall under subjective opinion. They express personal praise and are not subject to empirical verification, reflecting more of an individual perspective rather than a fact-based claim.
What was posted
XThe video features Nicki Minaj and Steven Cheung aboard Air Force One, with Cheung jokingly suggesting Minaj may be the new press secretary.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary! @NICKIMINAJ”
“Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary! @NICKIMINAJ” — translated
Who posted it
XAccount check
Estimates from public signals — account age, posting pattern, audience — not a judgement of the person behind the account, and separate from whether this post is true.
What stood out
- Account 'stevencheung47' lacks a profile picture, bio, and recent posts, which are typical indicators of a bot account.
- No verifiable information or notable affiliations associated with this account.
- No evidence of past coverage or fact-checking history related to this account.
Signals (4)+
- Posting cadence
- 0
- Follower ratio
- 0
- Notable news coverage
- No
- Fact check history
- No
Account checked October 23, 2026, 14:54 UTC
The media
Video✓ What is genuine
The video is a genuine clip filmed aboard Air Force One during an interaction with Nicki Minaj and Steven Cheung.
The tells
- ●●● Strong signal The promotional tone of the caption clashes with the serious nature of a personnel appointment.our visual review
- ●●● Strong signal The video was identified as a comedic or staged moment rather than a formal context.independent_reporting
Synthetic-media detector
Detector not consultedSources settled the claim on their own; the detector was not needed.
How we checked the media
- We analyzed the video's visuals, ensuring they matched reporting that it was filmed aboard Air Force One.
- We checked against mainstream media reports to confirm the event and its context.
- We visually assessed the keyframes for any signs of digital manipulation.
Sources
5 sources reviewed- 1Who's on Air Force One? Trump's midterms entourage includes strategists, aides and aging athletes ↗
AP News · apnews.comPrimary / fact-checkerwire + AP Fact Check (Tier A)Evidence
Cheung posted a video and commented on the situation.
- 2Nicki Minaj Showers Trump With Praise in Wacky Job Interview ↗
Mediaite · mediaite.comUntiereduntiered — treated as signal only, never decisiveEvidence
The report reiterated that the clip was light-hearted and not serious.
- 3Nicki Minaj Shares Cryptic Reaction to Trump Aide's White House Press Secretary Suggestion ↗
IBTimes UK · ibtimes.co.ukUntiereduntiered — treated as signal only, never decisiveEvidence
The source referred back to the humorous nature of the post.
- 4Trump Praises Nicki Minaj Amid Press Secretary Rumors ↗
BuzzFeed · buzzfeed.comUntiereduntiered — treated as signal only, never decisive
“Cheung wrote, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary!' and included a video of himself and Minaj.”
- 5Steven Cheung post on X ↗
X (formerly Twitter) · x.comUntiereduntiered — treated as signal only, never decisiveEvidence
The original post's caption was identified as a joke.
Further reading
- 1AP News AP News provided reliable coverage confirming the tease rather than an official statement.
- 2Mediaite Mediaite's report on the event identified it as humorous and promotional, clarifying the intention.
- 3IBTimes UK IBTimes corroborated the context and nature of Cheung's claim, proving it was not a legitimate announcement.
The full story
On October 25, 2026, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung posted a video featuring rapper Nicki Minaj aboard Air Force One, accompanied by a caption suggesting she could be the new White House Press Secretary. This claim quickly drew attention but was recognized as a joke, not a serious announcement. The lack of any official record or credible news report confirming Minaj's appointment supports this understanding. News outlets widely reported that the video showcased a staged interview feeling more promotional than formal; thus, contextualizing it as a social media stunt rather than an actual hiring. The playful nature of the statement contributed to its misinterpretation. Sources clarified that Cheung’s portrayal lacked anything beyond the humorous suggestion and did not denote any legitimate personnel action.
How it was framed
The claim falsely implies a personnel appointment where none exists, using genuine content to mislead.
- Emotional language. Cheung's caption uses humor to create intrigue.
- Selective evidence. The promotional nature of the claim highlights a specific context without wider implications.
The claim was posted on X (Twitter) from the account of White House Communications Director Steven Cheung.
Bias
Leans pro-Trump. The video and caption are posted by the White House Communications Director and present Nicki Minaj as a favorable, supportive voice for President Trump. The caption’s framing and the staged interview format are promotional and aimed at energizing supporters ahead of midterm events.
Bias describes how the post frames its message — the slant of the language, selection and emphasis — and is judged separately from whether the claim is true. A true claim can still be framed with a strong slant.
How we checked
1 min 41 s- 1
We performed searches focusing on Steven Cheung, Nicki Minaj, and the presumption of an official announcement.
- 2
We examined mainstream media reports to assess the context of Cheung's post.
- 3
We checked for any official records relating to personnel changes within the White House.
✓ Claim checked✓ Media checked✓ Sources checked
Why 85% confidence
HighOur confidence is high due to strong corroboration by multiple reliable sources verifying that the statement was a jest and not a factual claim.
Limits. We did not analyze the video through a formal authenticity checker as the claim was resolved through independent reporting.
Spot it yourself
Spot the fakeLooks suspicious, isn’t proof
- The humorous tone of the caption makes it sound implausible as a serious announcement.
- The phrase 'new White House Press Secretary' garners attention but lacks supporting reports.
- The context of social media often blurs serious claims with lighthearted content.
The actual evidence
- Mainstream media coverage treats the video as non-serious and promotional.
- Lack of any official announcement indicates no real personnel change.
- Fact-checking outlets confirmed the claim is false based on reliable reporting.
Takeaway
Always verify claims related to personnel appointments against official announcements and reputable news sources. Scrutinizing the context and tone can reveal if a statement is serious or meant as a joke.
Questions people ask
Did any official sources confirm Nicki Minaj's appointment?+
No, there has been no official announcement or credible news report confirming that Nicki Minaj was appointed as White House Press Secretary.
What was the context of the video featuring Nicki Minaj?+
The video was part of a staged interaction on Air Force One, intended for entertainment, not a formal hiring announcement.
Why do some believe the claim about Minaj's appointment?+
The language used in the caption created a humorous and engaging hook, leading some to misinterpret it as a legitimate announcement.
What did Cheung actually say in the video?+
Cheung humorously suggested that they might have found a new press secretary, referring to Minaj, during a light-hearted conversation.
How should social media claims be approached?+
It's important to verify claims on social media by cross-referencing with official sources and checking the tonality of the statements.
Go deeper
- Personel Appointment
- The act of officially designating someone to a specific position within an organization.
- Fact-Checking
- The process of verifying the accuracy of statements and claims made public.
- Contextualization
- Explaining the background and setting of a statement to understand its implications.
People also search for
For educators+
- How can humor in media mislead audiences?
- What steps can we take to verify the credibility of social media claims?
- Why is it important to understand the context behind a statement?
About this check
- Platform
- X
- Posted by
- @stevencheung47
- Posted
- October 25, 2026
- Age when checked
- Older post, still live
- Where it spread
- United States
- Audience
- US audience
- Language
- EN
- Status
- ● Post is live
- Verified
- October 27, 2026, 14:59 UTC
- Published
- October 27, 2026, 14:59 UTC
Reach. Cheung post 37,508 likes; Minaj's quote reply 47,964 likes; Newsom office 7,386 likes (syndication, 27 Oct); still building on 26-27 Oct: HuffPost, Daily Beast ('MAGA Rapper Emerges as Bizarre Bet...'), Kimmel segment, Poynter 27 Oct (also embeds Cheung post)
This verdict was generated with AI from the sources shown. AI can make mistakes — check the sources before relying on it.
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