Washington, D.C. – November 6, 2025
President Donald Trump has escalated his confrontation with Nigeria, issuing a direct threat of military action in a video address released Thursday afternoon. The president warned that unless the Nigerian government halts what he called the systematic “killing of Christians,” the United States will terminate all aid and unleash a rapid, overwhelming response. The statement, delivered in a pre-recorded message from the Oval Office, marks the most aggressive U.S. posture toward Nigeria in decades and has triggered immediate diplomatic fallout across Africa and beyond.
In the four-minute video, which was posted simultaneously on Truth Social, X, and the White House YouTube channel, Trump spoke with unyielding intensity. His full remarks were as follows:
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the kill!ngs of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria. We are going to do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about. Guns are blazing to completely wipe out Islamic terrorists. I’m hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it would be fast and vicious.”
The use of “Department of War”—a term abandoned in 1947 when the Department of Defense was established—immediately drew attention, with critics calling it a deliberate throwback to an era of imperial interventionism. White House officials later clarified that the president was referring to the Pentagon but stood by the substance of the directive.
The threat follows Trump’s announcement last week designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act. That designation, issued on October 30, cited “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom” and opened the door to sanctions. Nigeria now joins a list that includes China, Iran, and North Korea—countries the U.S. has accused of severe human rights abuses.
Pentagon sources confirmed Thursday evening that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and Africa Command (AFRICOM) have been directed to draft contingency plans. While no final decisions have been made, options under review reportedly include:
Precision airstrikes on Boko Haram and ISWAP training camps in Borno and Yobe states
Deployment of special operations forces for targeted raids
Cyber operations to disrupt terrorist financing networks
Prepositioning of naval assets in the Gulf of Guinea for rapid response
A senior defense official, speaking anonymously, said the planning assumes a 72-hour window for execution if authorized. “This isn’t posturing,” the official said. “The president wants options on his desk within 48 hours.”
In Abuja, the Nigerian government reacted with fury. President Bola Tinubu convened an emergency session of the National Security Council and addressed the nation from Aso Rock at 7:00 p.m. local time. “Nigeria will not be lectured to by any foreign power on how to protect its citizens,” Tinubu declared. “The violence we face is not a Christian problem or a Muslim problem—it is a Nigerian problem. We have buried soldiers, clerics, farmers, and children from every faith. To suggest otherwise is a distortion of reality.”
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar issued a formal statement rejecting the CPC label as “factually baseless and politically motivated.” He pointed to recent military gains: in the past month alone, Nigerian forces, in coordination with the Multinational Joint Task Force, eliminated 187 insurgents and rescued 112 hostages, including 43 Christians abducted from churches in Kaduna and Plateau states.
Religious leaders in Nigeria presented a united front. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) issued a rare joint communiqué, condemning violence against all citizens and calling for international support—not threats. “We do not need bombs from abroad,” said CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh. “We need intelligence, equipment, and investment in peacebuilding.”
The U.S. currently provides Nigeria with approximately $1.1 billion annually in assistance, including $500 million for health programs (HIV/AIDS, malaria, polio), $300 million in security cooperation, and $200 million in humanitarian aid. A full cutoff would devastate public health initiatives and weaken counterterrorism efforts, analysts warn. Nigeria is a key partner in the fight against ISIS affiliates in West Africa, and U.S.-trained units have been instrumental in degrading Boko Haram’s operational capacity.
International reaction has been swift and largely critical. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed “deep concern” over the rhetoric, urging both nations to resume dialogue through the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission. The African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat called the threat “a dangerous precedent” that could undermine regional stability. European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas offered Brussels as a neutral venue for mediation.
In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke cautiously, noting the UK’s historic ties with Nigeria and its role as a major investor. “Military threats are not the answer,” he said during Prime Minister’s Questions. “We stand ready to support de-escalation.”
Domestically, Trump’s base rallied behind the president. Evangelical leaders, who played a pivotal role in his 2024 election victory, praised the move. Pastor Paula White, Trump’s longtime spiritual advisor, posted on X: “Finally, a president who defends persecuted Christians with action, not just words.” The Family Research Council launched a petition supporting the CPC designation, garnering 150,000 signatures within hours.
But human rights organizations raised alarms. Amnesty International accused the administration of selective outrage, noting that violence in Nigeria’s Middle Belt—often framed as religious—stems from land disputes, climate stress, and governance failures affecting all groups. “Framing this as a Christian genocide ignores the thousands of Muslims killed by the same insurgents,” said Netsanet Belay, Amnesty’s research director.
Economists warned of broader fallout. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and a member of OPEC. Any U.S. military action or aid suspension could spike global energy prices and disrupt supply chains. The naira, already under pressure, fell 3.2% against the dollar in after-hours trading following the video’s release.
On the streets of Lagos, Abuja, and Kano, reactions were mixed. In Surulere, a Christian-majority neighborhood, some residents expressed cautious support for U.S. pressure. “If America forces the government to act, maybe the killings will stop,” said Chinedu Okeke, a trader. But in Kano’s Sabon Gari market, Muslim vendors feared the rhetoric would fuel division. “This is how they divide us,” said Aisha Ibrahim. “We suffer together—bandits don’t ask your religion before they shoot.”
The White House has scheduled a press briefing for Friday morning, where National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is expected to elaborate on the contingency plans. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Mary Beth Leonard has requested an urgent meeting with President Tinubu, though no date has been confirmed.
As night fell over the Atlantic, the world braced for what could be a defining moment in U.S.-Africa relations. Nigeria, a nation of 230 million people and a linchpin of West African stability, now finds itself at the center of a geopolitical storm. Whether Trump’s threat is a negotiating tactic or a prelude to action remains unclear—but the machinery of war, however reluctantly, has begun to turn.
