Overview
- President Donald Trump said he instructed U.S. military planners to prepare contingency options for possible action in Nigeria and warned of an immediate suspension of aid over alleged killings of Christians.
- Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the characterization of religious intolerance and affirmed constitutional protections, as a presidential spokesman said Abuja welcomes assistance that does not violate sovereignty.
- The administration re-designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” for religious freedom, a step that can trigger sanctions or aid restrictions and has strained bilateral ties in the past.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said his department is preparing to act, even as experts and lawmakers note there is no public authorization, coalition, or clear legal basis for a U.S. offensive operation.
- Analysts report the violence is complex and affects Christians and Muslims, and casualty figures cited by U.S. political actors about “thousands” of Christian deaths have not been independently substantiated.