•Trump and Tinubu
United States (US) President Donald Trump has said US military strikes in Nigeria saved Christians from continued attacks by terrorists, claiming the operation brought an end to the widespread killing of Christian communities.
Speaking at an event in Washington at the weekend, Trump said the military action targeted the leaders of the terrorist group responsible for the attacks and sent a strong warning against further violence.
He said the operation significantly reduced the killings and prevented more civilians from being attacked.
The US President also said the military action formed part of his administration’s broader effort to protect Christians around the world and combat terrorist groups wherever they operate.
He compared the operation in Nigeria with recent US military action against Iran, saying both were aimed at addressing major security threats.
He said, “As you know, we recently struck Nigeria and largely ended the slaughter of great Christian populations.
“They have a great Christian population. They were being butchered. Thousands and thousands of people were being killed, children, women, old people, just being slaughtered, hacked to death.”
Trump claimed the operation discouraged the terrorists from carrying out more attacks.
He said, “They know that if they go further, the attack will be far greater and that they don’t want to really get involved anymore so much.
“You know, we hit them very hard. We knocked out their leader. We knocked out their second leader and their third leader.”
The US President compared the military operation in Nigeria with the recent US action against Iran.
“It sounds a little bit like Iran, actually. It’s all about a different cause that we have to do because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. Can’t let it happen,” he said.
Trump also said his administration remained committed to protecting Christians around the world.
“So I’m saving Christians throughout the world, even though we are not in those various countries where you read about this.
“But they’d like to make our country just like those countries. That’s where they started. They started right where we are right now.”
Trump said the US would continue to target terrorists wherever they operate.
“But I’m saving them by hitting these terrorists very violently and very hard. We’re hitting them very hard by the greatest weapons on earth, taking them out.
“We know where they are. We hunt them down, and we take them out. They go into a village and they just kill everybody, it’s like crazy,” he said.
Trump also warned against what he described as threats to religious freedom.
“They will close your churches in this country. They go communist, and they’re trying to. They will kill your people, and that’s what they’re about. They want to end religion,” he added.
