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US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could carry out additional military strikes in Nigeria if Christians continue to be killed in the West African country, despite Nigeria’s repeated denial that Christians face systematic persecution.
Trump made the comments in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out on Christmas Day.
“It Will Be a Many-Time Strike”
Addressing the possibility of future action, Trump suggested the US could escalate its military response if the violence continues.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump said.
“But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
The US military previously said the Christmas Day operation targeted Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria and was conducted at the request of Nigeria’s government.
Nigeria Rejects Religious Framing
Nigerian authorities have insisted the operation was a joint counter-terrorism mission and not linked to any specific religion.
At the time, Nigeria described the strike as targeting terrorists, stressing that it had “nothing to do with a particular religion.”
Dispute Over Who Is Being Targeted
When Trump was asked about comments from his own Africa adviser — who said extremist groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram have killed more Muslims than Christians — the president disagreed.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria,” Trump said.
“But it’s mostly Christians.”
Trump has repeatedly warned that Christianity faces what he calls an “existential threat” in Nigeria, a claim Nigerian officials strongly dispute.
Nigeria Pushes Back
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 230 million people, is roughly evenly divided between Christians, who are concentrated in the south, and Muslims, who dominate the north.
While the country has long struggled with insurgency, banditry, and kidnappings, particularly in northern regions, its government maintains that violence affects both Christians and Muslims.
Nigerian officials have responded to Trump’s earlier warnings by expressing willingness to cooperate with the US against extremist groups, while rejecting language that suggests Christians are being singled out.
Authorities note that militant attacks have claimed the lives of many Muslims as well as Christians, arguing that the conflict is driven by terrorism and insecurity, not religious persecution.
Source: reuters.com Disclaimer
