U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out additional military strikes in Nigeria if attacks against Christians persist, signalling a potential escalation of American involvement in West Africa’s security landscape. Trump made the comments in an interview with The New York Times, saying he would prefer their Christmas Day strike to be a “one-time” action but that continued killings of Christians could prompt further operations.
The remarks follow a U.S. military strike on December 25 targeting Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria, which Trump’s administration described as an effort to counter extremist violence against Christian communities. That mission was conducted with coordination and approval from the Nigerian government, which framed it as a joint counter-terrorism effort rather than a religiously motivated attack.
Trump’s framing of Nigeria’s security crisis has stirred controversy. In the interview, he acknowledged that Muslims are also victims of violence by groups like Boko Haram and IS-linked factions but insisted that “it’s mostly Christians” being killed. This narrative aligns with his administration’s emphasis on protecting religious minorities but has drawn scrutiny from analysts who note the complexity of Nigeria’s insurgencies and the broader pattern of violence affecting multiple communities.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims of systematic persecution of Christians, stressing that extremist attacks affect both Muslims and Christians and pushing back against characterisations that oversimplify the crisis along religious lines. Abuja maintains that counter-terror cooperation with partners like the U.S. must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and focus on shared security goals.
Reactions within Nigeria have been mixed. Social media users and political commentators have expressed a range of views, from scepticism about foreign military involvement to concern over the persistent insecurity facing local communities. Experts warn that framing the violence primarily in religious terms risks inflaming tensions, even as cooperation continues on security operations aimed at extremist groups in the region.
