Nicki Minaj has been named a celebrity judge for the Trump administration's Million Dollar Pitch Competition, a small-business contest offering a $1 million prize pool, run by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) in Washington, D.C. The event, styled as a blend of Shark Tank and The Apprentice, sees five finalists pitch their businesses to a judging panel that also includes private equity manager Grant Cardone and Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, with actor Dean Cain hosting. It marks the latest sign of Minaj's continued public alignment with Donald Trump, having previously met him at a Trump Accounts Summit and been publicly praised by him.

The SBA confirmed the judging line-up on 31 August, with the competition's live final due to take place on 18 September in Washington. Prize money will be split across five places: $400,000 for first, $250,000 for second, $150,000 for third, $125,000 for fourth and $75,000 for fifth. SBA administrator Kelly Loeffler framed the event as part of celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary and its tradition of free enterprise. Minaj, who has not released new music this year since 2023's Pink Friday 2, welcomed the role enthusiastically on social media.