Trump Adjusts Stance, Acknowledges Muslim Victims in Nigeria’s Vïolence

For the first time while addressing Nigeria’s security crisis, U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that Muslims are also victims of the killings in the country, though he maintains that Christians are the “primary targets.”

In a recent interview, Trump stated, “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.” He made these remarks while discussing the potential for additional U.S. military strikes, like the one carried out on Christmas Day, warning that such action would continue “if they continue to kill Christians.”

This represents a shift from his previous rhetoric, which consistently singled out violence against Christian communities. When presented with data indicating that militant groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State have killed more Muslims, Trump reiterated his position that Christians are the main victims.

His earlier characterization of Christianity in Nigeria as facing an “existential threat” led the Nigerian government to dispatch a delegation to Washington to provide context. The comments reflect Trump’s sustained focus on the persecution of Christians, while now formally recognizing the broader, inter-religious nature of the violence affecting the nation.