A 22 Minutes sketch imagining Nicki Minaj as the next White House press secretary appeared days before a senior Trump aide publicly made a similar joke about the rapper taking the vacant role.
The Canadian satire program’s online sketch features an impersonator presenting Minaj as a fictional White House spokesperson.
It was published on the show’s official video channel on October 19, 2026, according to the clip’s circulation details.
Six days later, on October 25, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung shared a video of the real Minaj aboard Air Force One and captioned it as though the administration had found its next press secretary.
The post was framed as a joke, not as an appointment.
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What the 22 Minutes sketch showed
The sketch used the White House briefing-room format to imagine Minaj answering questions from reporters.
The premise drew on the rapper’s public support for U.S. President Donald Trump and turned that political association into a parody of an official media briefing.
The video was part of the program’s broader approach to political satire, which regularly targets government, public figures and major news events.
The show’s fall 2026 season includes Mark Critch, Trent McClellan, Aba Amuquandoh and Stacey McGunnigle among its featured performers.
At the time the sketch was released, there was no indication that Minaj had been appointed to a government position.
The segment was comedy, rather than an announcement or report about a White House personnel decision.
Why the White House joke followed
The White House press secretary position was vacant after Katie Zacharia’s brief tenure ended in October.
Against that backdrop, Cheung posted a video showing Minaj praising Trump’s work ethic, business background and approach to foreign policy.
Cheung’s caption said the administration might have found a new press secretary, but the post did not announce a nomination, appointment or formal selection process.
The available public information supports treating the exchange as a social-media joke rather than a change in the White House staff.
Minaj had travelled with Trump to a campaign event in Port Huron, Michigan, on October 25.
Her appearance with the president and the video from Air Force One provided the immediate context for the White House communications director’s post.
A coincidence, not evidence of coordination
The timing has led viewers to describe the Canadian sketch as an apparent early version of the later White House gag.
The two pieces share the same basic idea, but the timing alone does not establish that the White House staff saw or used the Canadian program’s material.
The most supportable conclusion is that both jokes drew on the same unusual political moment: a vacant press secretary position, Minaj’s visible support for Trump and the administration’s willingness to use social media in a highly informal way.
That distinction matters because online posts about the episode have sometimes blurred satire, political messaging and real personnel news.
Minaj was not named White House press secretary as a result of the post, and the 22 Minutes segment was not a genuine forecast of an official appointment.
What happens next
The White House would need to issue a formal announcement for Minaj to become an actual candidate or appointee.
Until that happens, the role remains separate from the comedic exchange shared by Cheung.
For 22 Minutes, the episode adds another example of the show’s long-running habit of turning fast-moving political developments into short-form satire.
The program continues airing as part of CBC’s fall 2026 lineup, with new episodes scheduled through the season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Nicki Minaj become White House press secretary?
No. The White House communications director’s post was a joke and did not announce an appointment.
What did the 22 Minutes sketch show?
It imagined an impersonator of Nicki Minaj appearing as the White House press secretary and answering reporters’ questions.
When was the sketch released?
The sketch was published online on October 19, 2026.
When did Steven Cheung make the White House joke?
Cheung posted the video involving Minaj on October 25, 2026.
Who is the current focus of the story?
The story concerns the timing and similarity of a Canadian satire sketch and a later White House social-media joke, not a confirmed government appointment.
Fact-Checked: The temporal claims were checked against available program listings and reporting. October 19, 2026, was a Monday, and October 25, 2026, was a Sunday; the six-day interval and all other stated chronology are consistent.
Disclaimer: This article describes satire and an unofficial social-media joke; it does not report a confirmed White House appointment.