The Freedom From Religion Foundation excoriates President Trump’s dangerously sectarian remarks threatening military action against Nigeria in the name of “protecting Christians.”
Trump has declared on social media that he is ordering the Pentagon “to prepare for possible action” to “wipe out Islamic terrorists” in Nigeria, claiming without evidence that the country’s government is failing to protect “our cherished Christians.” He described a potential attack as “fast, vicious, and sweet.” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly echoed the threat, saying the Pentagon was “preparing for action.”
“These statements are not only reckless and inflammatory — they are also steeped in Christian nationalist ideology,” says FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor. “Threatening military action on religious grounds is the antithesis of American constitutional principles. The United States is not a Christian nation, and our military is not a religious weapon.”
FFRF emphasizes that U.S. foreign policy must remain secular and grounded in human rights, not religious favoritism. The situation in Nigeria is complex, involving ethnic, political and economic factors, as well as extremist violence that has victimized both Muslims and Christians. Framing it as a holy war endangers civilians and fuels sectarian tension worldwide.
Nigeria is an officially secular nation, with a population that is roughly 53 percent Muslim and 45 percent Christian, while the remainder practices various Indigenous African religions.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pushed back on Trump’s depiction of the country in a statement on X, “The characterization 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.”
“Invoking Christianity to justify military aggression is how crusades start — not how peace is made,” adds FFRF Co-President Dan Barker. “This rhetoric endangers innocent lives and undermines America’s credibility as a nation committed to religious liberty for all.”
The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of religion by mandating government neutrality toward faith. When political leaders treat one religion as “cherished” and others as expendable, they betray that founding ideal and imperil global stability.
Gaylor also observed that all violence targeting individuals for their religion is deplorable and must be condemned, including the fact that both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have been targeted for violence. Muslim so-called “apostates” and atheists also face special dangers in certain Nigerian states. FFRF recently conferred its Avijit Roy Courage Award on Nigerian Mubarak Bala, who served five years in prison in his native country for “blasphemy.”
FFRF calls on all elected officials, the Pentagon and the international community to reject Trump’s threats and reaffirm America’s commitment to diplomacy, secular governance and universal human rights — not holy war.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to promoting the constitutional principle of separation between state and church and educating the public on matters of nontheism. With more than 42,000 members, FFRF advocates for freethinkers’ rights across the globe. For more information, visit ffrf.org.
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