United States President Donald Trump has said there could be more military strikes by the United States in Nigeria if killings of Christians continue in the country. His statement has sparked fresh debate, as the Nigerian government insists that insecurity in the country is not targeted at any particular religious group.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday. He was responding to questions about a United States military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day. According to the report, the operation was aimed at Islamic State fighters operating in the north-western part of the country.
During the interview, Trump said he would prefer the strike to be a one-time action but warned that further action could follow. “I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” he was quoted as saying. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
He also reacted to comments by his own Africa adviser, who had said that militant groups such as Islamic State and Boko Haram kill more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria. Trump acknowledged that Muslims are also victims but insisted that Christians were mostly affected. “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he said.
The Christmas Day strike has drawn wide attention both in Nigeria and abroad. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in north-western Nigeria. AFRICOM added that the strike was carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian government.
At the time, Nigerian authorities confirmed the operation and described it as a joint action against terrorists. The federal government made it clear that the strike was not linked to any religion. Officials stressed that the target was terrorist groups threatening the lives of Nigerians, regardless of faith.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, later gave more details on the operation. He said the US airstrikes were carried out with Nigeria’s full cooperation, approval, and intelligence support. According to him, the operation did not violate Nigeria’s sovereignty and was not aimed at Christians, Muslims, or any religious group.
Tuggar explained that Nigeria has continued to work with international partners, including the United States, to tackle terrorism and violent extremism. He added that such cooperation is based on mutual respect and shared security interests.
Despite this explanation, Trump’s comments have raised concerns about how Nigeria is being portrayed internationally. In late October, Trump had already warned that Christianity was facing what he called an “existential threat” in Nigeria. At that time, he threatened military intervention, accusing the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities.
The Nigerian government strongly rejected those claims. Officials said the country’s security problems are complex and affect people of all religions. They pointed out that Muslims, Christians, and people of other beliefs have all been killed or displaced by terrorist attacks, banditry, and communal violence.
Nigeria has been battling different forms of insecurity for more than a decade. In the North-East, Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have carried out attacks on villages, military bases, churches, mosques, and markets. In the North-West and parts of the North-Central, bandit groups and other armed gangs have kidnapped, killed, and displaced thousands of people.
Meanwhile, a United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, added to the debate by disclosing that the US military fired 12 Tomahawk missiles at Islamic State fighters in Nigeria. Moore said the airstrikes were only the beginning of a wider military effort and that more action would follow in cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
This statement suggests that the United States may increase its military involvement in Nigeria, especially in intelligence sharing and targeted strikes. However, such involvement often raises questions about national sovereignty and the long-term impact of foreign military actions.
Following recent high-level engagements between Nigeria and the United States, a Nigerian delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, held talks with US officials. After these meetings, the US War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said the American military was “working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
This statement again brought focus to the issue of religion, even as Nigerian authorities continue to stress that the fight is against terrorism, not on behalf of any faith.
For many Nigerians, the priority remains improved security and protection for all citizens. Civil society groups have called for stronger intelligence, better equipment for security forces, and more efforts to address the root causes of violence.