Trump Administration to Host Shark Tank-Style Pitch Competition with Nicki Minaj and Dean Cain as Judges
Quick Look
The Trump administration's Small Business Administration will host a 'Million Dollar Pitch Competition' later this month featuring five entrepreneurs competing for $1 million in growth capital, with judges including rapper Nicki Minaj, actor Dean Cain, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, and private equity manager Grant Cardone, as part of Freedom 250 celebrations funded by Clover Network, Inc.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The competition is part of the Freedom 250 celebrations marking America's birthday, which also includes events like the Great American State Fair and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.
The Trump administration is set to host its own Shark Tank-style competition later this month, with rapper Nicki Minaj and Superman actor Dean Cain as judges.
Minaj and Cain, both ardent supporters of President Donald Trump, are two of the celebrity guests who will feature in the Small Business Administration’s “Million Dollar Pitch Competition,” where five entrepreneurs will compete to win a share of the $1 million prize.
Airbnb co-founder and U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia will join Minaj on the judging panel, along with private equity fund manager Grant Cardone.
The agency’s administrator, Kelly Loeffler, said the Trump-supporting stars “will only add to the excitement of this historic celebration of free enterprise” in a news release.
“From building globally recognized personal and business brands and multibillion-dollar portfolios to launching innovative wellness solutions and digital platforms, each brings a unique, real‑world perspective on business growth and impact,” Loeffler said.
“Their presence will be invaluable in highlighting the unique and inspiring stories of the five finalists competing for $1 million in growth capital, and the importance of Main Street businesses in powering American strength,” Loeffler added.
The competition’s format is similar to the hit TV show Shark Tank and the president’s former reality show The Apprentice, which aired on NBC from 2004 to 2017.
Minaj has become one of the president’s most vocal allies in the music industry and has been hosted by Trump at the White House several times. She helped the president to launch the administration’s “Trump Accounts” earlier this year.
The 43-year-old rapper previously opened up about her support for Trump. “When I saw how he was being treated over and over and over, I just couldn't handle it,” she said on The Katie Miller Podcast earlier this year. “I felt that...a lot of that bullying, and the smear campaigns and all of the lying, I felt that that had been done to me for so many years.”
Cain similarly declared his “love” for Trump in a 2025 interview and endorsed the president during the 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. “Trump is actually one of the most empathetic, wonderful, generous people you’ll ever meet,” he told Variety.
The former Superman star attended a Trump administration event in August to promote the president’s “No Tax on Tips” policy.
The competition is part of the Freedom 250 celebrations marking America’s birthday. The White House-aligned group was also behind the Great American State Fair, marked by several controversies, including cancelations from musicians and weather-related closures, and the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.
According to the agency, the $1 million cash prize is being funded by Clover Network, Inc, a payments processing platform.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The competition will generate significant media attention and social media engagement due to the celebrity judges' involvement.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What specific criteria will be used to judge the entrepreneurs' pitches?
- When exactly later this month will the competition take place?
- Who are the five entrepreneurs selected as finalists for the competition?
