A member of the United States House of Representatives, Pramila Jayapal, has criticised President Donald Trump’s strategy for addressing claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Trump recently re-designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and warned that the US military could enter the country “guns-a-blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities”.
During a congressional hearing on Thursday in Washington DC, Jayapal argued that the narrative of Christian persecution in Nigeria appeared “simplistic” and failed to reflect the nation’s “intersectional diversity”.
She noted that while religion contributes to violence, a review by Search for Common Ground found that religion was not the primary driver of conflict in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
“Instead, violence has been directed against both Christians and Muslims, regardless of religion, at the hands of armed terror groups like Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, or fuelled by differences in lifestyle between farmer and herder groups compounded by climate change and governance issues,” she said.
Jayapal expressed concern that Trump, after watching a Fox News clip about Christian persecution in Nigeria, immediately threatened to go “guns-a-blazing” and withdraw US assistance.
She questioned Jonathan Pratt, a senior official at the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, asking: “Can you tell me under what authority would the US military strike inside of Nigeria?”
Pratt explained that Marco Rubio, secretary of state, had instructed the department to develop an action plan with the Nigerian government to address insecurity. He said the plan would utilise available tools, including security support, intelligence-sharing, and counterterrorism efforts.
Jayapal pressed further, asking why these tools were not prioritised initially. Pratt responded that the State Department had long been involved in efforts to address insecurity in Nigeria.
She emphasised that revising tactics was necessary for better outcomes and criticised Trump’s threatening rhetoric.
“I just wish we would actually stick to that playbook rather than a bully and threaten of a country that is extremely important to us and to the region,” Jayapal said. “I don’t think that’s the right way to go, to just go on Truth Social and threaten ‘guns-a-blazing’. I think what you’ve described is much more appropriate.”
At the hearing, Congresswoman Sara Jacobs also condemned Trump’s threat, calling it reckless. She added that Congress had not authorised military force and stressed that any action without Nigeria’s consent would violate international law.