Trump tells Pentagon to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria, warns US may cut aid

US President Donald Trump has said he has ordered the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria and warned that Washington will “immediately stop all aid and assistance” to the West African country unless it moves to stop violence he says targets Christians.

Writing on his social platform, Mr Trump accused “radical Islamists” of committing a “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria and said the United States “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.” He added: “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action.”

The accusation follows Mr Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act – a label that signals the US believes a government has engaged in or tolerated particularly severe religious‑freedom violations. The designation can be a prelude to sanctions, including limits on non‑humanitarian aid.

Nigeria’s government has strongly rejected the characterisation. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the designation “does not reflect our national reality” and pointed to his administration’s efforts to protect freedom of religion for all Nigerians, adding that his government is working with the US and international partners on the issue. Tinubu’s office and other Nigerian spokespeople have also stressed that victims of violence in Nigeria include both Christians and Muslims, and that the country’s security problems stem from a mixture of insurgency, communal clashes and farmer‑herder conflicts.

Reacting to Mr Trump’s post, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth echoed that preparations were under way and repeated the demand that Nigeria protect its citizens. Analysts and human‑rights groups say Nigeria faces complex security challenges from Boko Haram and IS‑linked groups in the north to violent communal disputes in other regions and note that large numbers of Muslims have also been killed in the country’s ongoing violence.

The White House and Nigeria’s presidential press office did not immediately supply further comment when contacted. The announcement marks a significant escalation in rhetoric between Washington and Abuja and is likely to prompt urgent diplomatic exchanges in the coming days