Articles by Adam Schrader

Technology

Trump orders military to prepare strikes on Nigerian militants

Nov. 2 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for strikes against Islamist militants in Nigeria as the country's government defended its sovereignty. "If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, 'gu ns-a-blazing,' to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities," Trump said on his Truth Social platform Saturday. Trump said that he was ordering the U.S. Defense Department to prepare for possible action, which he said would be "fast, vicious and sweet." Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to Trump's instruction in a post to social media, calling for the end of the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria. "The Department of War is preparing for action," Hegseth said, referring to its unofficial name bestowed by the president. "Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities." But the Nigerian government pushed back against Trump, clarifying that Islamist militants are not specifically targeting Christians. It also contested the implication that the government is not religiously tolerant and said that it continues to take steps to defend all civilians from violence, in addition to issuing a defense of its sovereignty as a democratic government. "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," President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said in a statement on social media. But Tinubu added that his administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community "to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths." Daniel Bwala, the spokesperson for the Nigerian presidency, said in a statement that Tinubu and Trump have a "shared interest" in fighting against terrorism and heralded Trump for authorizing arms sales to Nigeria. "President Tinubu has adequately utilized the opportunity in the fight against terrorism for which we have massive results to show for it," Bwala said. Bwala said that Tinubu would seek to resolve differences in view whether the militants were only and specifically targeting Christians in a meeting in coming days. The meeting, he said, would either occur at the White House or the Nigerian State House. Meanwhile, Bwala told the BBC that while Trump was trying to help Nigeria tackle the issue, Nigeria maintains its sovereignty and any military action against militants by the United States would be carried out together with the African nation.