Don Lemon Fires Back at Nicki Minaj After Slur-Filled ICE Protest Blowup: “She Should Just Sit the F*** Down”

Whew. Somebody pass the popcorn 🍿 because Don Lemon is not biting his tongue — and Nicki Minaj definitely didn’t either.

What started as a tense report on an ICE protest has now exploded into a full-blown war of words between the former CNN anchor and the rap superstar, with accusations flying, slurs dropped, and Don Lemon flat-out questioning Nicki’s intelligence when it comes to politics and journalism.

Let’s get into it.

Over the weekend, Don Lemon posted video from Minneapolis showing him interviewing protesters who interrupted a church service while chanting “ICE out” and demanding justice for Renee Good — the Minnesota mother who was shot and killed earlier this month by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Adding another layer of controversy, one of the church’s pastors is allegedly connected to ICE, which only intensified emotions on the ground.

Enter Nicki Minaj.

The rapper took to X and went nuclear, slamming Lemon with a homophobic slur and calling him “disgusting,” demanding he be locked up, and accusing him of disrespecting religion. She even tossed in a photo of Chucky for good measure — because apparently this beef needed a horror-movie mascot.

But Don Lemon was not about to let that slide.

And when he clapped back? Oh, he clapped back with a folding chair.

“She’s always weighing in on things that she doesn’t know about,” Lemon said, not mincing words. “Nicki Minaj should just sit the f*** down.”

Don went even further, saying Nicki was completely out of her depth.

“This is clearly out of her depth. She doesn’t understand politics. She doesn’t understand journalism. And I’m not surprised that she is weighing in on something that is beyond her capacity.”

Then came the line that really set social media on fire.

Nicki posted a Chucky doll, but Don said she picked the wrong toy.

“A better symbol that should have been represented in that picture is a ‘Pick Me’ doll,” Lemon said. “Because Nicki Minaj is a pick me. She will do anything that is expedient for her politically.”

Ouch.

Don didn’t stop there, doubling down and calling the rapper ignorant, saying she consistently inserts herself into conversations she doesn’t fully understand — and that this was just another example.

Now, here’s where things get interesting.

Nicki’s fans — the Barbz — say she was defending religious institutions and calling out what she sees as selective outrage. Lemon’s supporters say this is a journalist doing his job, documenting protest, not endorsing it — and that Nicki crossed a major line by using a homophobic slur and calling for his arrest.

So… who’s right?

Honestly? Both sides are talking past each other.

Nicki reacted emotionally, loudly, and recklessly — especially with language that many found offensive and unnecessary. Don, on the other hand, is standing firm in his role as a journalist, even if his response was sharp, cutting, and brutally honest.

And if you’ve watched Don Lemon closely over the years, none of this is surprising.

When Don sat down with Jay Rob for an in-depth interview on an episode of The Hot Zone, he spoke openly about his long career in journalism, his rise at CNN, navigating racism in media spaces, and how cancel culture has reshaped public discourse. He made it clear then — and he’s making it clear now — that he’s not interested in playing nice when it comes to facts, accountability, and speaking his truth.

Love him or hate him, Don Lemon has never backed down from controversy.

And Nicki Minaj? She’s never been one to stay silent either — even when the topic might be bigger than her understanding of it.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about Don versus Nicki. It’s about celebrity commentary colliding with journalism, activism colliding with outrage, and social media turning everything into a gladiator arena.

One thing’s for sure: neither of them is sitting down anytime soon.

And the internet? It’s already picked sides.