Luke Hales/Getty Images
During a rally in Las Vegas over the weekend, former president Donald Trump introduced reggaeton artist Nicky Jam, mistakenly referring to him as a “hot” woman. At the event, held at The Expo at the World Market Center, Trump said, “Latin music superstar Nicky Jam. Do you know Nicky? She’s hot,” according to The Independent.
The gaffe occurred as Trump tried to highlight the support of Latino artists for his campaign. The situation became more awkward when Nicky Jam, wearing a MAGA hat, joined Trump on stage. Despite the mix-up, Jam brushed off the error, stating, “People that come from where I come from, they don’t meet the president. So I’m lucky. We need you.
We need you back, right? We need you to be the president,” as reported by the Daily Beast. Following the rally, Nicky Jam took to Instagram, making light of the blunder. He posted a photo of himself with Trump and joked in the caption, “Nicky Jam la Potra la biota,” which roughly translates to, “Nicky Jam the hot woman, the female boss.”
The incident sparked a mix of amusement and outrage across social media. The controversy continued when Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign shared the video of Trump’s remarks on X (formerly Twitter). Critics quickly pointed out Trump’s apparent lack of knowledge about the artist. One user commented, “[Trump] doesn’t know or give a damn about who these people are.
He just wants their endorsements for votes.” Another added, “Donald, you should meet Nicki Minaj next. He has a great voice!” Trump’s misidentification of Nicky Jam raised concerns about his tendency to make off-the-cuff, objectifying remarks.
One commenter observed, “Referring to Nicky Jam, a male Latin music superstar, as ‘she’ and ‘hot’ raises eyebrows… the misidentification and objectifying language come across as awkward and disrespectful.” The aftermath of the endorsement also extended beyond social media.
Mexican rock band Maná, who had previously collaborated with Nicky Jam on their 2016 hit “De Pies a Cabeza” (“From Head to Toe”), decided to remove the song from all digital platforms. The band released a statement on Instagram, explaining, “There is no business or promotion that is worth more than the dignity of our people.
That is why Maná decided to remove its collaboration with Nicky Jam from all digital platforms today.” The incident highlighted both the continued polarization around Trump and the complex relationships between artists, politics, and public opinion.
