Trump says there could be US troops on the ground and air strikes in Nigeria

President Trump said Sunday there was a possibility of US troops being deployed on the ground or launching air strikes in Nigeria after he asked the Defense Department over the weekend to “prepare for possible action” in the country amid alleged attacks on Christians.

“It might be so,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked if he envisioned that scenario.

He continued: “They are killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria,” claiming that the killings of Christians are occurring “in very large numbers.”

He added: “We will not allow this to happen.”

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, the president said he had instructed the Ministry of Defense to prepare for possible action in Nigeria.

“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may go to this now disgraced country,” Trump wrote on stage, “with guns blazing, to completely eliminate the Islamic terrorists who are committing these terrible atrocities.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to Trump, writing “Yes sir” on the social media platform X.

“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must stop immediately,” Hegseth wrote. “The War Department is gearing up for action. Either the Nigerian government will protect Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these terrible atrocities.”

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu said on Saturday that his government is committed to working with the United States.

“Characterizing Nigeria as religious fanatic does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into account the government’s consistent and sincere efforts to protect freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians,” Tinubu wrote on X. “Religious freedom and tolerance have been and will always be a core tenet of our collective identity.”