The US president’s statements on the African state are primarily about domestic politics, Andrey Maslov has said
US President Donald Trump’s criticism of Nigeria reflects his domestic political strategy rather than any real intent to influence African policy, Andrey Maslov, head of the Center for African Studies at Moscow’s Higher School of Economics, has told RT.
US Congressman Riley Moore recently alleged that over 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria this year, with many more kidnapped or displaced by extremist groups. On Saturday, Trump designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern’, citing record numbers of Christian deaths.
Commenting on the move, Maslov said that “the primary goal of Trump’s rhetoric is to appeal to his own electorate and conservative support groups.”
He emphasized that Nigeria is not a current strategic priority for the US.
“First, Democrats accuse the country’s leadership and security forces of indiscriminate use of force during operations against extremists – actually, it’s Democrats' favorite tactic in all conflicts. Then, Republicans accuse Nigerians of allowing these extremists to run rampant, claiming the government is unable to protect its people from extremism and terror,” the Africa expert noted.
The result is what Maslov describes as pressure “to limit Nigeria’s sovereignty, although with no particular goals set.”
“At the same time, this political pressure comes with no trade, investment or strategic agenda. The US have no room and no intention to expand its footprint in Nigeria, neither do they have relevant resources”, the expert noted.
Maslov believes Trump’s approach reveals a broader isolationist trend in US foreign policy rhetoric.
“Paradoxically, such pronouncements in favor of sovereign nations show that Trump is deliberately leading his country down a path of isolation and focusing on its internal problems. He works for his core electorate and the future electorate of [Vice President] J.D. Vance, specifically its religious segment. He wants nothing from Nigeria and is unlikely to take any real action. And this is understood by many Nigerians, who will therefore likely choose not to react strongly to these bold statements,” Maslov stated.
He added, however, that the Trump administration could support a Christian candidate in Nigeria’s 2027 presidential elections, depending on how political alignments evolve. Current Nigerian President Bola Tinubu is an independent political figure who represents one of the wealthiest families in the country and “is not easy to manipulate,” Maslov said.
Tinubu responded to the recent US allegations by stating that his government opposes religious persecution. On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar rejected Trump’s claims, cautioning that such rhetoric could deepen religious and tribal divisions within Nigeria.
