Two senior members of the United States Congress, Gregory W. Meeks and Sara Jacobs, have condemned former President Donald Trump for threatening to cut off aid and launch military action against Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
In a joint statement released on Monday in Washington, Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jacobs, the Ranking Member of the Africa Subcommittee, described Trump’s comments as “irresponsible and reckless.”
The lawmakers said the former president’s remarks and the designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” during his administration oversimplified the complex nature of violence in the country.
“The designation ignores the reality that clashes between farmers and herders are often driven by resource scarcity and land competition, not religion,” the statement read. “Terrorist groups have targeted both Christians and Muslims, especially in northern Nigeria, where communities continue to face attacks by criminal gangs known as bandits.”
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They commended President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to promote interfaith harmony and strengthen national security, saying “all Nigerians deserve protection and peace.”
Meeks and Jacobs also criticized Trump’s threat to “defend Christians” through possible military intervention, calling it “a reckless response to distorted facts.”
“It is incredibly irresponsible for President Trump to threaten military action,” the lawmakers said. “Providing security assistance is one thing; threatening intervention is something else entirely. Such rhetoric risks dragging the United States into another unnecessary conflict.”
On Trump’s call to suspend U.S. aid to Nigeria, the lawmakers warned that such action would undermine humanitarian and development programs critical to stability in the region.
“Trump’s aid cuts have blocked essential programs that provide emergency nutrition and livelihood support initiatives that are key to preventing the spread of insurgency,” they added.
The lawmakers urged continued diplomatic engagement and support for Nigeria’s democratic institutions, stressing that complex security challenges require partnership, not provocation.
