How Trump Took Up the ‘Christian Genocide’ Cause in Nigeria

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 9 min read 100% complete by Dionne Searcey, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Ruth Maclean and Eric SchmittFebruary 1, 2026 at 09:00 AM

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In 2026, President Trump, influenced by religious activists, Republican lawmakers, and American celebrities, shifted U.S. foreign policy towards Nigeria, claiming a "Christian genocide" was occurring. This followed years of lobbying to frame the complex Nigerian security crisis as religious persecution against Christians, despite the fact that thousands of Muslims are also killed annually in Nigeria. In December 2025, Trump launched Tomahawk missiles at alleged "terrorist scum" responsible for killing Nigerian Christians. A congressional spending measure now conditions half of U.S. aid to Nigeria on efforts to stop violence, advance "religious freedom," and investigate "jihadist terror groups." The U.S. and Nigeria have also announced a closer military partnership.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Jabo 30% Switzerland 30% Davos 30% Tomahawk 40% The New York Times ×240% U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 50% Nina Shea 60% United States ×380% Donald Trump ×790% Nigeria ×1095%

Keywords

nigeria 100% christian genocide 90% religious persecution 90% u.s. foreign policy 80% military intervention 70% terrorism 60% religious freedom 60% jihadist terror groups 50% sectarian tensions 50% bombings 40%

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Negative

Score: -0.40

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New York Times - World

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.30)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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nigeria christian genocide religious persecution u.s. foreign policy military intervention terrorism religious freedom jihadist terror groups sectarian tensions bombings

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