US President Donald Trump warned on Sunday that the US military might deploy troops or conduct air strikes in Nigeria to stop what he termed the killing of “record numbers of Christians” in the West African nation.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked if he envisioned troops on the ground. “Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things,” he responded. “They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
This threat follows a move by his administration just a day earlier to add Nigeria back to the “Countries of Particular Concern” list for alleged violations of religious freedom, a list that also includes China, Russia, and Pakistan.
In response, Nigeria stated it would welcome US assistance in fighting Islamist insurgents, as long as its “territorial integrity is respected.” Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, sought to de-escalate the tension, denying that a “Christian genocide” was occurring. Bwala clarified that while Christians have been killed, analysts note the “vast majority” of victims from groups like Boko Haram have been Muslims.
In other remarks, President Trump backed away from the idea of providing long-range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. He told reporters he was “no, not really” considering it, appearing to reverse his position from October.
Additionally, Trump confirmed he will not attend the upcoming Supreme Court arguments regarding his global tariffs. He stated that despite wanting “to go so badly,” he does not want to “create a distraction” during the hearing, adding, “It’s not about me, it’s about our country.”
