‘We’re Ready for Action in Nigeria’: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Responds to Trump Over Christian Killings

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is “ready for action in Nigeria” after Donald Trump condemned Christian persecution and designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern.”

The United States Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, has announced that the Department of War is preparing for possible military action in Nigeria, following reports of widespread attacks on Christian communities across the country.

Hegseth made this known on Saturday in a post on X (formerly Twitter), while responding to earlier comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened possible U.S. intervention over what he described as the “persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”

In his statement, Hegseth declared, “Yes sir. The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will eliminate the Islamic terrorists committing these horrible atrocities.”

President Donald Trump, in a post on Friday, had designated Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’, citing what he described as “ongoing violence against Christians and the government’s failure to safeguard religious minorities.”

However, the Nigerian Government has strongly denied allegations of religious persecution, insisting that security operations in the country target criminals irrespective of faith or ethnicity.

International observers say the recent exchange between Trump and Hegseth could signal a new phase of U.S. engagement in Africa, particularly concerning human rights, religious freedom, and counter-terrorism in the region.