The White House is denying that it has invited rapper Nicki Minaj to Washington to discuss her negative online comments on the COVID-19 vaccine, despite the singer boasting about such a proposition on Twitter.
Rumors spread after Ms. Minaj tweeted that she had accepted an offer to go to the White House, donned in an attire similar to Elle Woods, the main character in the movie “Legally Blonde.” She has made headlines in recent days over her resistance to getting the COVID-19 vaccine and her claims about its potential side effects and health and fertility.
“The White House has invited me and I think it’s a step in the right direction,” Ms. Minaj tweeted on Wednesday. “Yes, I’m going. I’ll be dressed in all pink like Legally Blonde so they know I mean business. I’ll ask questions on behalf of the people who have been made fun of for simply being human.”
The White House, however, denied the alleged offer, saying they hoped instead to initiate a call with the “Super Bass” singer instead.
“As we have with others, we offered a call with Nicki Minaj and one of our doctors to answer questions she has about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine,” an official said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Thursday said that the offer to Ms. Minaj was in the preliminary stages and that it was routine for the administration to reach out to celebrities and other high-profile figures.
“We offered a call with Nicki Minaj and one of our doctors to answer questions she had about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine,” Ms. Psaki said. “This is pretty standard. It’s something we do all the time. It was a very early-stage call at the staff level.”
Ms. Psaki added that the White House does not view the miscommunication as a “point of tension or disagreement.” She said she hoped those with large platforms will put out accurate information about the vaccine.
Ms. Psaki said she has no indication of whether the call with Ms. Minaj will occur and that there’s been no discussion of the format or the timeline.
Ms. Minaj tweeted Monday that she skipped the Met Gala in New York City because it had a vaccine requirement, adding that she wanted to do more research before getting the shot. Ms. Minaj also added that she did not want to travel due to having a new baby.
Subsequently, Ms. Minaj alleged that “her cousin’s friend in Trinidad” became impotent after getting the vaccine, even as health officials say there is no evidence that any of the vaccines employed to control COVID-19 had caused fertility problems in people.
It’s unclear when or if the call between Ms. Minaj and the White House will occur.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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