UPDATE - Trump threatens Nigeria with military action for alleged 'killing of Christians'

​​​​​​​ADDS STATEMENTS FROM PENTAGON CHIEF, NIGERIA; CHANGES DECK

​​​​​​​By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - US President Donald Trump threatened Nigeria on Saturday with possible military action for the alleged "killing of Christians."

"If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, 'guns-a-blazing,'" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The threat came one day after he claimed that Christianity is facing an "existential threat" in Nigeria and accused "radical Islamists" of being responsible for "mass slaughter."

"I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!" said Trump.

He warned the Nigerian government to "move fast."

"The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on US social media platform X.

In response to Trump's claims, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote on X that his government stands firmly as a "democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty," reassuring that it has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike.

"The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians," Tinubu said.

He vowed a commitment to work with the US and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation to protect communities of all faiths.

Trump's remarks reportedly echo rhetoric from right-wing lawmakers who depict Nigeria’s violent conflicts as attacks by radical Islamists on Christians, a characterization experts said is misleading since the unrest cannot be reduced to religion alone, according to the Al Jazeera news network.