Trump Threatens Nigeria

President Trump threatened military action against Nigeria and said he might halt American aid to the country, claiming its government was failing to protect Christians from terrorist groups.

Context

Nigeria is home to roughly 232M people, split between Muslims who primarily live in the north and Christians concentrated elsewhere. For over a decade, extremist groups like Boko Haram have carried out attacks across the country, targeting both Christians and Muslims. These groups aim to overthrow Nigeria's secular government and establish strict religious rule in northern regions. The violence has also been fueled by other armed groups, including secessionists in the south and criminal organizations involved in kidnappings.

Trump’s Warning

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday that he had instructed the Defense Department to prepare for possible action in Nigeria, where he said the US could go in "guns-a-blazing" with the goal of wiping out Islamist militants. He warned that if the US intervened, "it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!" Trump also threatened to halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the attacks continued.