The terrorist group described the alleged remarks as part of a U.S. attempt to portray itself as a “global defender of Christians,” warning that such rhetoric could drag Washington into more conflicts across Africa and beyond.
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has released a propaganda message reacting to comments attributed to United States President, Donald Trump, about plans to launch military operations against the group in Nigeria.
In the message circulated through its usual communication channels, ISWAP denounced Trump as a “reckless American tyrant,” alleging that he was influenced by “evangelical Christian and Jewish advisers” during his administration.
The terrorist group described the alleged remarks as part of a U.S. attempt to portray itself as a “global defender of Christians,” warning that such rhetoric could drag Washington into more conflicts across Africa and beyond.
ISWAP cited ongoing violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique — where Islamist insurgencies have killed hundreds — as evidence of the U.S. seeking new battlegrounds to justify intervention.
According to the statement, this development fits into what ISWAP described as the Islamic State’s global strategy to overstretch U.S. forces across multiple war fronts, naming Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Afghanistan, and the Lake Chad Basin as potential pressure points.
The group also issued new operational directives to its members, advising them to avoid public gatherings, limit movement, and cut down smartphone use due to what it called “expected escalation in U.S. drone and surveillance operations.”
ISWAP’s message ended with a call for Muslims in West Africa to “unite and prepare,” accusing the West of committing “crimes against African Muslims” under the guise of fighting terrorism.
The United States military had drafted contingency plans for possible military action in Nigeria following an order from President Donald Trump, who directed the Pentagon to “prepare to intervene” to protect Christians from attacks by Islamic militants, The New York Times reports.
According to the report, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has submitted several options to the Department of War, responding to a request from Secretary Pete Hegseth for operational plans in line with Trump’s directive.
Military officials said that the proposals, labelled “heavy,” “medium,” and “light”, outline different levels of potential engagement in Nigeria.
The “heavy option,” the officials said, would represent the most aggressive U.S. action: deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf of Guinea and launching fighter jets or long-range bombers to hit militant targets deep inside northern Nigeria.
The “medium option” involves targeted drone strikes using MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones against known militant camps, convoys, and vehicles. These drones, capable of loitering for hours, would be supported by U.S. intelligence assets tracking insurgents’ movements to enable “precise and timely” attacks, the report added.
The “light option,” however, focuses on supporting Nigerian forces through intelligence sharing and logistics while enabling joint operations against Boko Haram and other Islamist groups accused of mass killings, abductions, and church attacks.
While the Pentagon has drawn up these plans, top military officials privately admit that no amount of limited airstrikes or drone operations would likely end Nigeria’s decades-long insurgency unless the U.S. embarks on a full-scale campaign similar to Iraq or Afghanistan —an option no one in Washington appears ready to pursue.
On Wednesday evening, Donald Trump also insisted that his government was willing to invade Nigeria if the alleged genocide Christians persisted without solutions.
He wrote: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening there, and in numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian Population around the World!”
China had also declared its unwavering support for the Nigerian government, saying it stands by Nigeria as it “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”