In a wide-ranging interview published on Thursday, United States President Donald Trump indicated that the United States could launch further military strikes in Nigeria if what he described as continued violence against Christians persists. His comments come after a US military operation on December 25 that targeted Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria.
Asked whether the Christmas Day operation marked the beginning of a broader campaign, Trump said he would prefer it to be a one-off strike, “but if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Trump framed the intervention as a response to repeated attacks on Christians by extremist groups in Nigeria, remarks that have sparked debate over the intent and implications of the US role in the country’s complex security crisis. When pressed about statements from his own Africa adviser noting that armed groups such as Islamic State West Africa Province and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians, Trump acknowledged that Muslims also suffer but reiterated his view that Christians are primarily targeted.
The December 25 strikes were described by Washington as operations against militants at the request of the Nigerian government, which has maintained that the action was part of joint counterterrorism efforts and not aimed at any particular religious group. Abuja has consistently rejected claims of targeted persecution or genocide against Christians, pointing out that extremist violence has affected communities of all faiths across the country.
Nigeria’s government has emphasised ongoing cooperation with international partners in tackling terrorism, while stressing that violence against any community, regardless of religion, is unacceptable and part of a broader security challenge.
