Nicki Minaj to judge Trump administration’s Million Dollar Pitch Competition

Rapper Nicki Minaj has been announced as a celebrity judge for the Million Dollar Pitch Competition, a business reality program backed by the Trump administration. The event, organized by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of its Freedom 250 initiative, is scheduled to take place on September 18 in Washington, D.C.

Minaj will join a judging panel that includes Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and private equity fund manager Grant Cardone. Actor Dean Cain is set to host the competition. Five finalists from various American industries—including Compotech Inc., Winton Machine, Plas-Tech Tooling, Red River, and VetPowered LLC—will compete for a share of a $1 million prize pool. The top prize is $400,000, with remaining funds distributed among the other four finalists.

SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler stated the event celebrates America’s legacy of free enterprise. The competition format, which evaluates businesses on economic impact, job creation, and competitiveness, has drawn comparisons to reality shows such as ‘Shark Tank’ and ‘The Apprentice’.