Two senior members of the United States Congress, Gregory W. Meeks and Sara Jacobs, have condemned President Donald Trump for threatening to launch military action and cut off aid to Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
In a joint statement, Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Jacobs, the ranking member of the Africa Subcommittee, described Trump’s remarks as “irresponsible and reckless.”
The lawmakers also faulted the Trump administration’s decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” saying the move oversimplifies the country’s complex security challenges.
“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.”
They praised President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to promote interfaith harmony and strengthen national security, stressing that “all Nigerians deserve protection.”
Meeks and Jacobs also dismissed Trump’s vow to “defend Christians” through military intervention, describing it as a reckless response to distorted facts.
“It is incredibly irresponsible for President Trump to threaten military action.
Providing security assistance is one thing; threatening intervention is something else entirely. Such rhetoric risks dragging the United States into another unnecessary conflict,” the lawmakers warned.
They further cautioned that any suspension of U.S. aid to Nigeria would undermine critical humanitarian and development programs.
“Trump’s aid cuts have blocked essential programmes that provide emergency nutrition and livelihood support—initiatives that are key to preventing the spread of insurgency,” they added.
