Rick Harrison 'risks Nicki Minaj-level' backlash over Donald Trump gushing remarks
Rick Harrison 'risks Nicki Minaj-level' backlash over Donald Trump gushing remarks
Ellie HookSat, May 9, 2026 at 9:46 AM UTC
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Rick Harrison speaking at the White House Small Business Summit -Credit:AP (AP)
Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison appeared alongside President Donald Trump at the podium during the White House Small Business Summit on Monday, May 4.
The 61-year-old reality television personality grabbed the microphone and, in what appeared to be an off-the-cuff address, took the opportunity to declare the 79-year-old "the best president ever." He started, "All right, um, you know, usually at like announcement rallies they give you like three minutes' notice, and I can't come up with a speech, and they literally just told me a couple of hours ago to make a little speech.
"I just want to say he's amazing. He's done so much, I mean so much for all of us. I mean, the backbone of this country is small business, plain and simple." It comes after Harrison addressed his age gap relationship with Angie Polishkin.
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Harrison, recognized as the lead expert and deal-maker on the enduring History Channel reality series, then directed criticism toward former President Joe Biden.
He declared, "And, the last guy in office, all we heard was that we were the evil people, we were the bad people, everything else like that. We don't pay our fair share, whatever that's supposed to be. And he made it tough."
Fans called out Rick Harrison for his gushing remarks on Donald Trump -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
He continued, "And this guy, the Big Beautiful Bill, is absolutely amazing. You know what I mean. God bless you for letting me get 100% depreciation; it really helps out."
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The television personality wrapped up by saying, "And all I can say is, I mean, I'm a history buff, and I know a lot about this White House thing. Literally, he's going to go down as maybe the best president ever. I love this guy."
Harrison's speech was subsequently posted to X, where viewers wasted no time criticizing him. One user wrote, "Another fake speech just like his show..." as another added, "Rick Harrison publicly backing Donald Trump like that is definitely going to get people talking when well-known business figures step into politics, reactions are always strong."
Others weighed in with remarks such as, "Rick Harrison backing Donald Trump like that is exactly why people stay divided instead of dealing with real issues. Small businesses are the backbone, but turning them into political hero worship doesn't fix taxes, inflation, or red tape. Talk solutions, not slogans."
Nicki Minaj also faced backlash for publicly backing Trump -Credit:Getty Images
Another shared, "I didn't think things could get more sycophantic, rambling, and annoying during the White House Small Business Summit......then came Rick Harrison from Pawn Stars fawning all over Donald Trump for his tax cuts."
In the wake of the criticism, PR expert Chad Teixeira offered his perspective on Harrison's unexpected remarks. Chad explained to the Irish Star, "Rick Harrison publicly backing Donald Trump is always going to land loudly, because it pulls him out of a neutral entertainment space and into a highly polarised conversation.
The PR expert said Harrison's comments would have 'landed loudly' -Credit:AP
"As the face of Pawn Stars, his appeal has historically been broad and accessible, the kind of personality people could watch without needing to know his personal views. Once politics enters that equation, particularly with a figure as divisive as Trump, it inevitably reshapes how audiences perceive him.
"The backlash we're seeing online is fairly typical in this climate. Audiences are quicker than ever to react, and public figures who take a clear political stance often see an immediate split in their following.
"It doesn't necessarily mean the end of a career, but it does tend to redefine it," Chad explained. He continued, "We've seen similar patterns with Nicki Minaj and Kid Rock; both faced strong criticism, but ultimately retained a more specific, aligned audience rather than the broad mainstream appeal they once had."
It comes after rapper Minaj also made similar swooning comments over the president, resulting in many of her fans turning on her.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
