In a sharp escalation of tensions, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military intervention in Nigeria if the government fails to curtail violence against Christians, and warned that U.S. aid would be immediately cut off should the killings continue.
Taking to Truth Social, Trump announced he has instructed the Pentagon and the “Department of War” to begin preparations for possible action. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians … we may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists,” he said. He added that any offensive would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Trump’s comments come a day after he designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged severe violations of religious freedom, a classification used by the U.S. to monitor rights abuses around the world.
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Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, swiftly rejected the accusations in a statement, insisting that the country’s “religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity” and condemning the notion that Nigeria encourages religious persecution.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting all citizens regardless of faith, declaring that Nigeria remains “a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”
Analysts warn that Trump’s rhetoric could intensify diplomatic tensions and complicate Nigeria’s efforts to manage ongoing security challenges, which include attacks by armed groups, communal violence, terrorism, and banditry.
