Rapper and singer-songwriter Nicki Minaj has praised President Donald Trump for threatening military action against Nigeria over the “slaughter” of Christians.
On Saturday, the president posted on Truth Social that if the Nigerian government kept allowing the killing of Christians, the U.S. would stop aid and could enter the country “guns-a-blazing” to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists.”
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet,” Trump wrote.
In response, Minaj – who is from the Caribbean country of Trinidad and Tobago – wrote on X with a screenshot of Trump’s post, stating that it made her feel a deep sense of gratitude for living in a country where she could freely worship God.
“No group should ever be prosecuted for practicing their religion. We don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other,” she wrote.
“Numerous countries all around the world are being affected by this horror, and it’s dangerous to pretend we don’t notice.
“Thank you to the President and his team for taking this seriously. God bless every persecuted Christian. Let’s remember to lift them up in prayer.”
On Sunday, Trump doubled down on the potential of military intervention against Nigeria, as Reuters reported the president was asked on Air Force One if he envisioned troops on the ground or air strikes.
“Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria … They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” he said.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with over 230 million people. About half are Muslim and 46 per cent are Christian, according to the CIA World Factbook.
Attacks against Christians in Nigeria got international attention when militants from the terrorist group Boko Haram, who oppose Western education, kidnapped 276 predominantly Christian schoolgirls from the town of Chibok.
However, in recent months, members of Trump’s administration have been arguing that attacks on Christians constitute “genocide,” as Senator Ted Cruz claimed the Nigerian government had been complicit in the violence.
Nigeria has been listed as a country “of particular concern” because of violations of religious freedom, joining North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, and China.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria said the characterization was categorically untrue.
“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,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
However, other members of Trump’s administration endorsed the president’s statement, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately,” he wrote to X.
“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.”
