Why Did Trump Target Nigeria Despite His “Peace” Claims? Understanding the Christian-Muslim Context

Washington/Nigeria: The United States carried out airstrikes in northwestern Nigeria on Thursday, targeting Islamic State (ISIS) positions, sparking international attention. The strikes come as Nigeria continues to grapple with longstanding crises and violent insurgencies.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly promoted himself as a global peacemaker since returning to the presidency in January, explained that the attacks were aimed at ISIS fighters targeting Christians in the region. Trump directed the U.S. military to carry out precise strikes against the group’s strongholds, posting updates about the operation on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“The U.S. military conducted a powerful and lethal strike against ISIS terrorists who were ruthlessly attacking innocent Christians in Nigeria. Multiple targeted operations were carried out to neutralize these threats,” Trump wrote.

Operation Coordinated with Nigerian Government
The strikes took place in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, according to BBC reports. U.S. Africa Command confirmed that the operation was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude for Nigeria’s support and collaboration on social media.

The Nigerian Foreign Ministry described the strikes as part of ongoing security cooperation with the U.S., which includes jointly targeting terrorist groups. Officials emphasized that these groups affect both Muslims and Christians.

Not Just About Religion
Contrary to Trump’s framing, the Nigerian government stated that the conflict is not primarily religious. While violence against Christians has drawn international attention, other communities—including Muslims—also face attacks. Many incidents stem from land disputes between herders and farmers, criminal activities, and kidnappings.

Nigeria is officially a secular nation, with approximately 53% Muslims and 45% Christians. While right-wing U.S. groups often highlight attacks on Christians as religious persecution, monitoring agencies say there is no clear evidence that Christians are disproportionately targeted compared to Muslims.

Despite differing views between the U.S. and Nigeria on the religious dimension, the Nigerian government agreed to strengthen its military response against armed groups with U.S. assistance. Nigerian and U.S. forces are now jointly conducting operations against these terrorist networks.