‘We’ve found her’: Trump aide touts Nicki Minaj for press secretary

At first, we laughed. A cheeky chuckle at the prospect of Nicki Minaj becoming White House press secretary. A little light relief from a news cycle that rarely offers it without raising blood pressure.

Now Donald Trump’s communications director Steven Cheung has filmed what looks suspiciously like an audition tape.

On Air Force One, naturally. Apparently, getting a meeting room is difficult everywhere.

Cheung posted a video on X of himself asking Minaj about Trump’s economic credentials, work ethic, and polling, with the caption: “Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary!”

There’s no confirmed appointment. However, there is a presidential aircraft, an enthusiastic candidate, and a communications director doing his own recruitment marketing.

Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary! @NICKIMINAJ https://t.co/petoprxVoX

— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 25, 2026

From Fallon’s punchline to Cheung’s shortlist?

The prospect first became late-night material after Katie Zacharia left the press secretary role following five days and a single briefing. Barely enough time to work out which office fridge shelf was hers.

Jimmy Fallon seized on the departure during The Tonight Show, splicing footage of Zacharia’s briefing into a mock interview before cutting to Trump appearing to announce Minaj as her replacement.

As Mediaweek previously reported, the joke had some political chemistry to build on. Minaj has publicly backed Trump and encouraged Americans to vote Republican in the November midterms.

Cheung has now helpfully supplied the follow-up episode.

READ MORE: Nicki Minaj for White House press secretary? Hear us out

An interview with very little friction

Over the aircraft’s engine noise, Cheung asks why Minaj thinks the economy is moving under Trump.

“Well, it's moving because we have a president that understands economics, first of all,” she replies.

Minaj points to Trump’s business background and his ability to recover from financial difficulties as evidence that he can manage the country’s finances.

Then comes the foreign policy assessment.

“You know, he's very tough. He's tough internationally.”

“He tells them what we need, not what they need.”

“We're not going to be paying to kiss their ass, okay?”

That should fit comfortably on a briefing-room mug. Or even a nifty red baseball cap. Just sayin'.

Cheung moves on to Trump’s campaign schedule, asking whether anyone works harder than the president.

“Absolutely not,” Minaj replies.

“He outworks people that, you know, are half his age.”

The exchange offers few clues about how she might handle a hostile question, given Cheung hasn’t packed any.

The press secretary chat comes with a press critique

Asked about what Cheung calls “fake news polls”, Minaj reaches for a familiar Republican reference point.

“Well, let's ask Hillary Clinton how the fake polls are.”

“We don't pay those polls any mind.”

She argues the polls discourage supporters from voting, before urging conservatives to turn out.

It’s campaign advocacy delivered through a celebrity interview, with the administration’s communications chief supplying the questions and publishing the result. The travelling press corps can presumably watch it on their phones.

It remains unclear whether Cheung’s caption amounts to anything beyond a well-fed joke. But the White House is now contributing material to a casting rumour that began on late-night television.

Fallon might want a producer credit.