U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated his threat of possible military action in Nigeria, warning that both ground operations and air strikes could be part of a U.S. response to what he described as widespread killings of Christians in the country.
Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he had directed the Pentagon to map out a potential plan of attack in Nigeria, one day after declaring that Christianity faced “an existential threat” in Africa’s most populous nation.
“They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” Trump said, adding that several military options “could be” on the table.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump warned that if Nigeria failed to stem the killings, the U.S. would strike “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.”
Responding, Presidential Spokesman Daniel Bwala said Nigeria remained a key U.S. partner in the global fight against terrorism and welcomed American support “as long as it respects our territorial integrity.”
Bwala downplayed Trump’s remarks, describing them as “his own style of communication,” and suggested that they could serve as a prelude to a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Trump to discuss mutual security concerns.
He added that any differences over the nature of terrorism in Nigeria — whether faith-based or otherwise — would likely be addressed “when the two leaders meet in the coming days, either at the State House or the White House.”
Trump’s comments have drawn mixed reactions globally, as Nigeria insists that terrorist attacks in the country are not religiously motivated but rather part of a broader security challenge.
