US President Donald Trump has sparked fresh attention after making a lewd remark about rapper Nicki Minaj's appearance during a Michigan rally. Trump praised her backside, then acknowledged he had gone off-topic and apologised, adding that he hoped Minaj was not offended. The moment unfolded as Minaj appeared alongside Trump to support Republicans ahead of the US midterm elections. She has said the president has “changed the energy of the country,” marking a striking shift from her earlier criticism of his immigration policies to her current public support. Trump has also made similar body-focused remarks about Republican Senator Jon Husted, drawing attention to his personal comments at political events.

Michigan Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin is now at the center of a rapidly escalating political and legal confrontation that’s drawing in the Justice Department, the FBI, the Pentagon and the White House. What started as a 90-second video message directed at U.S. service members has turned into a full-scale federal standoff. Slotkin has formally refused a voluntary interview request from the Department of Justice and rejected direct cooperation with federal investigators, signaling a hardline legal strategy that challenges the authority of the federal government itself. WATCH