Nicki Minaj and actor Dean Cain are taking starring roles in a "Shark Tank"-style event being held by the Small Business Administration (SBA). "Starships" rapper Minaj — who's described herself as President Trump's likely "No. 1 fan" — will join an "all-star judging panel" including Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia and investor Grant Cardone…
Page A3From§Eachthe coffee break edition — 1 September 2026
Trump taps Nicki Minaj and Dean Cain for reality show as he asks Congress for film tax credits
Power likes its own spotlight, and the receipts are backstage: the administration books Nicki Minaj and Dean Cain for a White House 'Shark Tank'-style show, then lobbies Congress for film and television tax credits. The sequence is neat—the stars ride in, the ask rides out. The producers get the credits, the taxpayer gets the bill. The show is pitched as innovation, the credits as investment, but the ledger is the same: the lights stay on, the cameras roll, and the public gets to watch the credits scroll on their own dime. The walk from the receipts to power is short and well-lit. The cast is booked, the incentive is asked, and the audience pays for both tickets and the popcorn.
“They pitch celebrities for a 'Shark Tank' show while asking Congress to bankroll Hollywood. The script writes itself, and you pay for the credits.”
“The administration is simply innovating—bringing entertainment to the people and supporting American filmmaking. The tax incentive is about jobs, and the reality show is about visibility. Did I say 'pitch'? No, it's a program, not a pitch. Everything’s above board.”
The receipts
President Trump urged Congress on Monday evening to “immediately” approve federal tax incentives for movie and TV production. In a Truth Social post, the president said he had met earlier in the day with actor Jon Voight and that the pair discussed the movement of film industry jobs out of the U.S.
This page is a back-issue: the story as it ran, receipts as they were. The current edition is at the front.