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What's Behind Trump's Christmas Strikes on Nigeria? Anti-Christian Genocide or Appeasing MAGA Base?

2025-12-29 News & Politics
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Support our work: https://democracynow.org/donate/sm-desc-yt President Trump says the U.S. strikes in Nigeria on Christmas Day were aimed at ISIS fighters and part of a campaign to stop a supposed anti-Christian "genocide" in the country. But residents of the area say there is no recorded history of anti-Christian terrorism, and organizations monitoring violence in the region say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are killed more than Muslims and other religious groups in Nigeria. This comes as a suicide bomber detonated an explosive inside a mosque in Nigeria's Borno state on Christmas Day, killing five worshipers and injuring 35 more. "Nigeria has a very serious problem of insecurity that affects a wide range of Nigerians, especially those who live in the more remote parts of the country," but violence impacts "Muslims more so than Christians," says Yinka Adegoke, Africa editor of Semafor. Adegoke says Trump's religious framing has more to do with U.S. culture wars and appeasing his base of evangelicals than seriously reckoning with issues of poverty and violence in Nigeria, which he notes were exacerbated by U.S. cuts to foreign aid. Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET. Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: https://democracynow.org/subscribe

Top Comments (10)

@BonsaiBlacksmith 2025-12-29

Legacy media wont pick this up, they are bought out

148 10 replies
@sharonrosepoet1111 2025-12-29

I strongly suspect that problems in Nigeria are instigated or fueled by greedy outsiders who have an eye on their oil and mineral resources.

72 17 replies
@ShawnErickson1 2025-12-29

Neither, it’s about stealing oil.

62 3 replies
@Cram_it7 2025-12-29

To see that attacks corresponding to lack of Media coverage due to holiday or weekend pauses is atrocious... It's very clear that it is an attempt to help keep it obscured... 😢

62 2 replies
@MaggieLawlor 2025-12-29

Nigeria is a major oil producer with proven reserves around 37-38 billion barrels, ranking among the top globally and as Africa's largest, holding sweet, light-to-medium crude that's highly sought after. What is our aggression really about? Amazing how all our recent bombings and targets have rich oil supplies while the president pushes increased resources for production on fossil fuel production.

55 5 replies
@bobbart4198 2025-12-29

... Trump has been using the term " Christian " as trigger to gain support in the US for years. He's ALSO been using the terms " Muslin " & " Islam " in the same cynical way, and for the same purpose.

47 7 replies
@davidmitchell2512 2025-12-30

What is the difference in drive by shootings in black communities and random missiles shooting up villages by the US military. The US has become or has always been the thugs of the world. Then the tax payer has to pay for this expensive bullying all over the planet. Insanity!

35 1 replies
@HenioFoxy 2025-12-29

Demented ,petulant child with a gun is unpredictable .

27 1 replies
@SamuelC-y4f 2025-12-30

A real Christian doesn't kill people on Christmas.

12
@LeoLover-l9e 2025-12-30

If this regime had any shame whatsoever, they would be and should be ASHAMED!

4

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