United States President Donald J. Trump has come under sharp criticism following a controversial post in which he threatened to cut off U.S. aid to Nigeria and potentially launch military action over alleged killings of Christians in the country.
In a statement shared on his verified social media handle, Trump wrote, “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.”
He further claimed to have directed American defense officials to prepare for a possible strike, saying, “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians. WARNING: The Nigerian Government better move fast!”
The post sparked outrage across social media and among political commentators, who described Trump’s comments as dangerous, inflammatory, and misinformed.
Leading the backlash, Malcolm Nance — a U.S. national security analyst and retired Navy intelligence officer — rebuked Trump’s statement, calling it reckless. He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “REAL TALK – IS TRUMP HIGH RN?! Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa with 237 million people. Also, it’s 45% Christian. That’s 106 million Christians.”
Nance explained that Nigeria has been engaged in a long-running counterinsurgency against extremist groups in the country’s northeast. “The Government of Nigeria has been fighting a counter-insurgency against Islamic terrorists for decades. Nigerian Muslims have also been murdered, kidnapped, and attacked disproportionately in the north, which is why we were helping them stop Boko Haram,” he added.
Concluding his remarks, Nance slammed the president’s tone and called for his removal from social media platforms, stating, “Get this demented old fool off the Adderall and off social media.”
Analysts have warned that Trump’s comments could strain diplomatic relations between Washington and Abuja, particularly given the sensitivity surrounding religious tensions in Nigeria.
As of press time, neither the Nigerian government nor U.S. authorities have issued an official response to Trump’s controversial statement.