U.S. President Donald Trump has suggested that the United States may deploy troops or carry out airstrikes in Nigeria to stop what he described as “the killing of record numbers of Christians.”
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, November 2, Trump said he had directed the Department of Defense to “prepare for possible action” following reports of increasing violence against Christians in Nigeria.
“Could be,” Trump said when asked if he envisioned U.S. boots on the ground or an airstrike campaign. “I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria … They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
The remarks came a day after Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social platform, warning that Washington could halt all aid to Nigeria and potentially take direct military action.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he wrote.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to Trump’s post, saying the Department of War was ready for action.
“Yes sir. The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria and anywhere must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Hegseth wrote.
Reacting to the comments, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to religious freedom and cooperation with the United States.
“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” Tinubu said in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter).
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” he added.