WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could deploy troops or launch air strikes in Nigeria to stop what he called “the killing of large numbers of Christians.” Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, “They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria… We’re not going to allow that to happen,” adding that military action “could be” an option.
The warning came a day after Washington re-added Nigeria to its “Countries of Particular Concern” list for religious freedom violations — alongside China, Russia, North Korea, Myanmar, and Pakistan. The decision has raised diplomatic tensions with Abuja, though Nigerian officials expressed willingness to cooperate with the US in combating terrorism, provided their sovereignty is respected. “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” said Daniel Bwala, adviser to President Bola Tinubu, downplaying Trump’s criticism of Nigeria as a “disgraced country.”
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Nigeria has long faced violence from militant groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have killed thousands in the country’s northeast. However, analysts note that while Christians have been among the victims, the majority of those killed by extremist groups have been Muslims. The Nigerian government has denied any “Christian genocide,” saying its counterterrorism operations target all extremists regardless of religion or ethnicity.
Meanwhile, Trump ruled out providing long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, saying he was “not really” considering the request despite earlier remarks that hinted at such a possibility. He warned that supplying Kyiv with weapons capable of striking deep inside Russia would mark “a new step of aggression.”
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Trump also confirmed he would not attend upcoming Supreme Court hearings on the legality of his global tariffs, a signature policy from his presidency. He said he did not want to “distract from the importance” of the case, which challenges his use of executive power under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Defending his policy, Trump maintained that tariffs had strengthened the US economy and bolstered national security.