Former United States President Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. could carry out additional military strikes in Nigeria if attacks on Christians persist, a statement that has reignited diplomatic and security debates surrounding America’s involvement in the West African nation.
Trump issued the warning during an interview with The New York Times (NYT), where he was asked whether the Christmas Day missile strikes against Islamic State (IS) targets marked the beginning of a broader U.S. military campaign in Nigeria.
The strikes, which targeted terrorist elements linked to the Islamic State, came roughly a month after Trump publicly threatened to deploy U.S. troops into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate terrorists allegedly killing Christians.
Some American politicians and advocacy groups have repeatedly claimed that Christians are being systematically targeted in Nigeria, describing the situation as a genocide—claims the Nigerian government has consistently denied.
According to Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Nigeria retained full decision-making authority over the Christmas Day strikes, which he described as a one-off security incident carried out with Nigeria’s consent.
However, Trump has since suggested that the operation may not be the last. Speaking to the NYT in an interview published on Thursday, he said further action remained possible.
“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 Nigerian government has repeatedly rejected assertions that Christians are being deliberately targeted, insisting that insecurity in the country affects all communities regardless of religion.
Officials have maintained that the violence is driven by terrorism, banditry and criminal insurgency rather than religious persecution.
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Last October, Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos, stated publicly that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) were killing more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria. When asked to respond to his adviser’s assessment, Trump acknowledged the broader scope of the violence but maintained his position.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria,” he said. “But it’s mostly Christians.”
In the aftermath of the Christmas Day strikes, flight tracking data reportedly showed that the United States resumed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations over parts of Nigeria, signalling continued security interest and monitoring by Washington.
Trump’s comments have added another layer of complexity to U.S.–Nigeria relations, as Abuja continues to push back against what it describes as a mischaracterisation of its internal security challenges, while also balancing cooperation with international partners in the fight against terrorism.