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Two senior US lawmakers condemn Trump’s military threat against Nigeria, calling it reckless and dangerous.
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Lawmakers say Trump’s claims on religious persecution in Nigeria distort the country’s complex security reality.
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They warn that cutting aid or military intervention could worsen insecurity and humanitarian crises.
Two senior members of the United States Congress, Gregory W. Meeks and Sara Jacobs, have sharply criticised President Donald Trump over his recent threat to cut off aid and launch military action against Nigeria.
Trump had reportedly accused Nigerian authorities of persecuting Christians, warning that his administration would take “decisive military steps” if such acts continued.
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In a joint statement released on Monday, Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jacobs, who leads the Africa Subcommittee, described Trump’s comments as “irresponsible and reckless.”
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The lawmakers said the former president’s remarks ignore Nigeria’s complex security situation, adding that violence in the country is largely driven by resource scarcity, land disputes, and terrorism — not religion.
“The Trump administration’s designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ ignores the reality on the ground,” the statement read.
“Many clashes between farmers and herders are driven by land competition, not faith. Both Christians and Muslims have suffered from terrorist attacks across the country.”
They acknowledged that President Bola Tinubu has prioritised national unity and interfaith harmony, saying the US should continue to support Nigeria’s efforts rather than threaten it.
The lawmakers further condemned Trump’s remarks about “defending Christians” through potential military intervention, warning that such rhetoric could drag the US into unnecessary conflict.
“It is incredibly irresponsible for President Trump to threaten military action,” they said.
“Providing security support is one thing; threatening intervention is another. Such language risks entangling the United States in yet another needless war.”
On Trump’s threat to cut off aid to Nigeria, Meeks and Jacobs argued that doing so would cripple vital humanitarian and development programmes.
“Cutting aid would block emergency nutrition and livelihoods training — the very programmes essential to curbing insurgency,” they warned.
