Trump Labels Nigeria “a Disgrace,” Repeats Threat of Military Action Over Christian Killings
WASHINGTON —US President Donald Trump intensified his rhetoric against Nigeria, calling the West African nation “a disgrace” and accusing its government of failing to protect its Christian population from extremist violence.
Speaking on a conservative radio show, Trump reiterated a previous threat, stating he would consider military action against Islamist militants operating in Nigeria if the country’s authorities did not take stronger measures to halt the attacks on Christian communities.
“It’s a disgrace what’s happening in Nigeria,” Trump said. “They’ve got to do more to protect Christians. We can’t allow that to continue.”
The comments amplify a growing narrative within right-wing political and media circles in the United States, which frames the complex security crisis in Nigeria primarily as a one-sided persecution of Christians. This perspective has gained traction despite widespread analysis showing that the violence in Nigeria stems from a long and complicated history of ethnoreligious conflict, resource competition, and weak governance.
Various armed groups, including the Islamist insurgency Boko Haram, its more potent splinter faction ISIS-West Africa, and heavily armed criminal bands known locally as “bandits,” have perpetrated mass violence across the country’s north and central regions. These attacks have resulted in the deaths and displacement of thousands of civilians from both Muslim and Christian faiths.
The Nigerian government has consistently pushed back against the characterization of the conflict as solely religious, emphasizing that its security forces are fighting criminality and terrorism that affect all citizens, regardless of faith.
Trump’s latest remarks are likely to strain diplomatic relations and add a contentious layer to US-Nigeria security cooperation. His threat of unilateral military action, while vague, echoes a pattern of his foreign policy approach that often bypassed traditional diplomatic channels in favor of direct, public pressure.
The Nigerian government has not yet issued an official response to these specific comments.
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