Trump Instructs Pentagon to Prepare for Military Action in Nigeria Over ‘Killing of Christians’

President Trump instructed the Defense Department to prepare for military action in Nigeria in response to alleged attacks against Christians.

Key Quote: Trump wrote on Truth Social, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities. I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action.”

Nigerian Response: Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said, “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.” Daniel Bwala, an advisor to Tinubu, told Reuters (Center bias), “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity.”

For Context: In September, the Nigeria-based NGO International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) said over 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first 220 days of 2025. AllSides found little mainstream Western media coverage of this story at the time. Intersociety estimates violence in Nigeria has displaced at least 12 million Christians since 2009, the year jihadist group Boko Haram began its insurgency in the country. During this time, Intersociety says 189,000 civilians have been killed, including 125,000 Christians and 60,000 liberal Muslims. The Nigerian government has reportedly denied that terror groups in the country are conducting a systematic genocide against Christians. 

How The Media Covered It: The story was widely covered across the spectrum. The Wall Street Journal (Center) included ample context on Boko Haram and noted some acts of terror it has committed. The New York Post (Lean Right) noted Boko Haram’s insurgency and also a bill introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in September that would sanction Nigerian officials who “facilitate Islamist jihadist violence.” NBC News (Lean Left) noted that Trump designated Nigeria a country of concern during his first term, but the Biden administration reversed the designation in 2021.

Written by the AllSides staff (of humans). Learn more. Support our mission.