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Trump’s warning to Nigeria offers hope to nation’s persecuted Christians
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A Nigerian pastor and other Christians have welcomed President Donald Trump’s pressure on the Abuja government to bring an end to the killing of Christians. The president recently designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, and warned he is considering stopping aid and introducing financial and other sanctions against government officials.
But the Christians Fox News Digital has talked to, while welcoming Trump’s support, say they don’t want U.S. Troops to be sent into Nigeria to stop the widespread murder of their co-religionists in one of the worst-affected areas, the Middle Belt of the West African nation.
Asking to be only identified by his first name due to fear of reprisals, Pastor Fred told Fox News Digital from Plateau State, «For the last 20 years we’ve been trying to raise an alarm because the voices of people have been silenced. Hopefully, by doing this, it’ll challenge the Nigerian government and those with influence and power to make a difference because lives are being lost.»
CRUZ CLASHES WITH NIGERIA OVER HIS CLAIMS 50,000 CHRISTIANS KILLED SINCE 2009 IN RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE
Members of St Leo Catholic Church hold a procession to mark Palm Sunday in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, on April 13, 2025. (Adekunle Ajayi/Getty Images)
Despite Secretary of War Pete Hegseth posting a warning earlier this month that, «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,» but Pastor Fred, whose church has been attacked multiple times by Islamic militants, is firmly against any outside military action.
«I find that quite uncomfortable, as a Nigerian, imagining soldiers coming in. (I’m) very uncomfortable with it, but I’m more uncomfortable with the fact that people are being slaughtered, and the government is doing very little too.»
A leading bishop in Nigeria’s Plateau State, who didn’t want to give his name because of his safety, told Fox News Digital of his relief about the president’s comments, «I feel very delighted. I’m so happy. It’s a very, very welcome development.»
Last month President Trump posted on Truth Social, saying three of every four Christians murdered in the world in the past year, 3,100 of the 4,476 deaths worldwide, were killed in Nigeria. These are the exact numbers published by Open Doors in their World Watchlist 2025. Open Doors is a global Christian charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith.
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Young people protest against the killings following a deadly attack by Fulani militants on Christian-majority villages in Benue state, that left 218 people dead and 6,000 displaced. The protest took place in Benue state, on June 2025. (Open Doors UK)
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom states that about 46% of Nigeria’s population is Christian, and multiple sources claim that in the bishop’s Plateau State, 90% of the population is said to be Christian. Yet wave after wave of radicalized Muslim Fulani nomadic tribesmen have mounted repeated attacks on Christians there, often decapitating children and seizing their land.
The bishop noted, «The challenge that we have is that Fulani militants are coming to kill without anybody stopping them. They kill with impunity. You call the security (Nigerian authorities). If they come, they come late — after people have been killed and after homes have been burnt.»
In December 2023, the bishop said his experience was typical «They [Fulani militants] killed 17 people. We thought it was over. While we went to do the burial, they attacked more than 25 villages in Plateau State, killing more than 100 people, including children.»
The Bishop is grateful for President Trump’s intervention, «the Christians here feel that this development is right. Somebody [in Washington] is checking, somebody’s looking, somebody is observing what is happening in Nigeria, and we believe this is going to put pressure on the government. We want to make sure that the security forces begin to do what they ought to do.»
Fox News Digital is in possession of documented cases where, while attacking Nigerian Christians, Fulani militants have shouted, «Death to all Christians.» A Nigerian lawyer Fox News Digital talked with this week said conditions have been indescribably tough, saying «the comments by President Trump are cheering to me and also to many Nigerians, especially from the Middle Belt, a region where thousands have been killed, maimed, pregnant women having their bellies ripped open, their farmlands destroyed and their ancestral lands taken over by the vicious Fulani militants.»
Funerals for some 27 Christians who were reportedly killed by Islamist Fulani tribesmen in the village of Bindi Ta-hoss, Nigeria. (Courtesy: Christian Solidarity International (CSI))
The lawyer told Fox News Digital, «President Trump’s intervention is timely, and it should be done fast, before the Nigerian government turns to Russia or China.» The lawyer didn’t want his name published as he fears for his safety.
«The Nigerian government have not cared much about the plight of these people,» the lawyer added. He hoped «that the U.S. will act in different ways to free the minority Christians from the hegemony of the Fulani militants.»
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Nigeria’s minister of information and national orientation told Fox News Digital, «The federal government of Nigeria has taken note of recent remarks by U.S. President Donald J. Trump regarding the state of religious freedom and security in Nigeria. While we appreciate any expression of concern for the well-being of Nigerians, we wish to clarify that Nigeria remains firmly committed to protecting the rights, safety and freedom of worship of all its citizens — Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths.»
The minister continued, «Nigeria is a multi-religious nation where communities of different beliefs have coexisted for centuries. The government continues to confront violent extremism in all its forms, whether motivated by ideology, criminality, or ethnicity, and works closely with regional and international partners to ensure peace and stability across our borders. Any external engagement on this issue must be grounded in facts, mutual respect and partnership, rather than perception or misinformation.»
donald trump,africa,christianity religion,conflicts,terrorism
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President Donald Trump lauded Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as «extraordinary» statesmen who complement each other’s strengths as they take the MAGA platform to the world stage.
Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace — an international forum aimed at funding Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinating a postwar stabilization force — convened its inaugural meeting in Washington, D.C., Thursday with delegations from more than 40 countries participating. Trump lauded the pair as he addressed the massive body of foreign leaders and representatives.
The meeting comes just less than a week after Rubio flew to Germany and delivered a speech before the Munich Security Conference, which earned applause from conservatives at home as he railed against unchecked mass migration and how it is destabilizing Western civilization.
JD VANCE CALLS AOC MUNICH MOMENT ‘MOST UNCOMFORTABLE 20 SECONDS OF TELEVISION’ HE HAS EVER SEEN
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as their wives, attended the Olympics opening together earlier in 2026. (Kevin Lamarque / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Vance led the U.S.’ delegation to the Security Conference in 2025, and delivered a speech that was viewed as a defining moment for the newly inaugurated Trump White House and for Vance himself on the world stage. Vance warned in his 2025 speech that European governments and institutions are drifting toward censorship, citing policies he said police speech, curb religious expression and pressure online platforms.
Trump lauded both of the administration leaders in his remarks, explaining that while the pair approach diplomacy «very differently,» the «result is the same.»
The president first celebrated Vance, remarking that he is «brilliant» and an excellent student.
RUBIO SHINES ON GLOBAL STAGE WHILE AOC, WHITMER, AND NEWSOM TAKE HEAT
«JD graduated in a four-and-a-half-year college in two years, and then he went to Yale, and he graduated at the top of his class, went to the military. Great. But when he went to Yale, there was one person that was marginally ahead of him. So he married her. Can you believe it? He married the person that was ahead,» Trump said, referring to second lady Usha Vance.
Usha Vance is pregnant with her fourth child. (Getty images)
Trump continued that Vance is «a brilliant guy and a great guy, and he’s been my friend,» before noting that he can be a «little bit tough on occasion.»
LIZ PEEK: AT MUNICH SHOWDOWN AOC SERVES WORD SALAD AS RUBIO CHANNELS STRENGTH
«We gotta slow him down just a little bit on occasion,» Trump said. «He says his mind.»
As for Rubio, Trump called him «the opposite extreme» of Vance.
DAN GAINOR: FROM SECRETARY OF STATE TO SECRETARY OF MEMES, RUBIO WINS OVER MAGA
«Now then we have the opposite extreme,» he said. «We have your friend sitting in the back. Your best friend. Sitting in the back is Marco. Marco does it with a velvet glove, but it’s a kill, right? The result is the same. They do it very differently,» he said.
Vance has previously called Rubio his «closest friend in the administration» or «best friend in the administration» in public remarks, including in October while on a podcast and again while speaking with Fox News earlier in February.
Trump went on to joke that Rubio did such an excellent job delivering his speech before the Munich conference he considered firing him.
«Marco, you really did yourself proud two days ago in Munich. In fact, so proud that I almost terminated his employ because they were saying, ‘Why can’t Trump do this?’ I do, but I say it differently. But Marco, don’t do any better than you did. please. Because if you do, you’re out of here.»
Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a bilateral meeting with China’s Foreign Minister (not in picture) in Munich, Feb. 13, 2026, on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. ( Alex Brandon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
«I want my guys to do great. And the acclaim he’s gotten and they claim JD gets is, is great,» he continued.
The praise follows Rubio and Vance joining a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in February in Italy, and Vance leading a delegation that included Rubio during the Olympics’ opening ceremony in Milan.
Vance’s foreign policy profile became a point of media scrutiny earlier in 2026, when U.S. forces captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Vance did not join Trump at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to monitor the operation, while Rubio was with the president.
Vance’s office previously brushed off report over his absence, citing that Trump and Vance limit the «frequency and duration» of time they spend together outside the White House due to «increased security concerns.»
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«I think it’s so interesting the media wants to create this conflict where there just isn’t any conflict,» Vance told Fox News earlier in February of the media scrutiny.
«Marco’s doing a great job. I’m trying to do as good of a job as I can. The president’s doing a great job. We’re going to keep on working together,» he added.
donald trump,marco rubio,jd vance,germany
INTERNACIONAL
La administración tecnócrata de Gaza anunció el despliegue de 5.000 policías en 60 días para reemplazar a Hamas
REUTERS/Ramadan Abed
Alí Shaath, economista palestino y director de la Comisión Nacional para la Administración de Gaza (CNAG), anunció el jueves durante la reunión inaugural de la Junta de Paz en Washington el despliegue de una fuerza policial palestina de 5.000 agentes en un plazo de 60 días.
El anuncio se enmarca en la segunda fase del plan de 20 puntos del presidente Donald Trump para Gaza, que busca trasladar el control del enclave devastado desde el grupo terrorista Hamas hacia una estructura de gobernanza internacional supervisada directamente desde Washington.
Shaath, ex viceministro de la Autoridad Palestina, reconoció que la CNAG opera en condiciones extremadamente difíciles. Gran parte de la Franja resultó gravemente dañada tras dos años de guerra que dejaron al menos 70.000 palestinos muertos, según cifras de organismos palestinos confirmadas también por Israel.
La nueva fuerza policial responde a la primera de cuatro prioridades definidas por la comisión tecnócrata: restaurar la seguridad bajo una sola autoridad, una sola ley y una sola arma. Las otras tres áreas prioritarias incluyen reactivar la economía, garantizar ayuda humanitaria sostenible y restablecer servicios básicos como electricidad, agua, salud y educación.
El director de la Junta de Paz, el diplomático búlgaro Nikolai Mladenov, informó que unas 2.000 personas ya solicitaron unirse a esta fuerza de transición, que será entrenada en Egipto y operará bajo la autoridad civil de la CNAG. Mladenov estableció como condición esencial que todas las facciones armadas en Gaza sean desmanteladas y que las armas queden bajo control de una autoridad civil única. Para ello, afirmó, resulta imprescindible la implementación completa del plan de 20 puntos de Trump.
La Junta de Paz, presentada por Trump como una alternativa a Naciones Unidas, celebró su primera reunión con la participación de casi 50 países, superando los 27 miembros fundadores. Sin embargo, la ausencia de potencias europeas occidentales y el rechazo del Vaticano, México y varios países latinoamericanos evidencian las fisuras en el respaldo internacional al mecanismo impulsado por Estados Unidos.
La junta está dirigida por una estructura ejecutiva que incluye al secretario de Estado Marco Rubio, el yerno de Trump Jared Kushner, el exprimer ministro británico Tony Blair y el enviado especial Steve Witkoff, entre otros.
El plan de 20 puntos, presentado por Trump en septiembre de 2025 junto al primer ministro israelí Benjamín Netanyahu, establece un alto el fuego condicionado al desarme completo de Hamas, la liberación de rehenes israelíes y la creación de una zona libre de terrorismo en Gaza.
REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/Fotografía de archivo
El documento contempla la formación de un gobierno de transición bajo supervisión internacional, un programa masivo de reconstrucción y, eventualmente, la posibilidad de avanzar hacia un Estado palestino, aunque Netanyahu ha rechazado categóricamente esta última perspectiva.
El principal obstáculo para la implementación del plan radica en el desarme de Hamas, que mantiene el control efectivo de Gaza desde 2007. Israel fijó un plazo de 60 días para que el grupo terrorista entregue todas sus armas, incluidas las ligeras como fusiles AK-47. El Departamento de Estado estadounidense reconoció que la desmilitarización constituye el desafío central del proceso.
Sin embargo, Khaled Meshaal, alto dirigente de Hamas, rechazó el desarme total y propuso únicamente un congelamiento de las armas, argumentando que desarmarse equivaldría a despojar al pueblo palestino de su alma.
La tensión se agrava por las continuas violaciones del alto el fuego. El ejército israelí mantiene el control de más del 50% del territorio gazatí y ha dejado claro que no renunciará al objetivo de desmilitarización total de la Franja. El ministerio de Salud de Gaza, operado por Hamas, reportó al menos 601 palestinos muertos por fuerzas israelíes desde el inicio de la tregua en octubre de 2025.
(AP Foto/Abdel Kareem Hana)
Mladenov advirtió que enviar al comité tecnócrata mientras persisten los enfrentamientos solo garantizará su inefectividad. El diplomático búlgaro anunció la creación de una Oficina del Alto Representante para Gaza, que él mismo encabezaría provisionalmente, con el objetivo de eliminar los obstáculos que enfrentará la CNAG al asumir el control civil y administrativo del enclave.
Trump anunció que Estados Unidos contribuirá con 10.000 millones de dólares para la reconstrucción de Gaza, mientras que nueve países árabes comprometieron otros 7.000 millones. Indonesia, Marruecos, Albania, Kosovo y Kazajistán ofrecieron tropas para la Fuerza Internacional de Estabilización prevista en el plan, aunque ningún gobierno ha formalizado compromisos definitivos sobre el número de efectivos ni el alcance de su mandato.
El modelo propuesto recuerda experiencias de administración internacional en Timor Oriental, Kosovo, Bosnia e Irak. Sin embargo, la ausencia de representación palestina en la junta ejecutiva internacional y la imposición vertical de estructuras de gobernanza han generado escepticismo sobre la viabilidad del proyecto. La historia demuestra que cuando el diseño es excesivamente vertical y la legitimidad local resulta limitada, la estabilidad suele ser precaria.
La CNAG, integrada por 15 tecnócratas palestinos, carece de función política y se limitará a la gestión logística y administrativa civil.
Top Pictures,Military Conflicts
INTERNACIONAL
Top US military commander visits Venezuela, meets new leader following operation to capture Maduro
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The head of the U.S. Southern Command traveled to Venezuela to meet with the country’s acting president just weeks after U.S. forces captured former leader Nicolás Maduro.
The trip on Wednesday, described as a surprise visit, was the first to Venezuela by a U.S. military delegation since the Jan. 3 raid to retrieve Maduro, according to Reuters.
«The commander of U.S. Southern Command, Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Chargé d’Affaires to the Venezuela Affairs Unit, Ambassador Laura F. Dogu, and U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary of War for Homeland Defense and the Americas Joseph M. Humire met with Venezuelan interim authorities in Caracas,» U.S. Southern Command said in a statement.
«During the meeting, the leaders reiterated the United States’ commitment to a free, safe and prosperous Venezuela for the Venezuelan people, the United States, and the Western Hemisphere,» it added.
VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MACHADO PRAISES TRUMP FOR DELIVERING ‘BERLIN WALL’ MOMENT FOR THE AMERICAS
Marine Gen. Francis L. Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, engages with Marines assigned to stand watch at U.S. Embassy facilities in Caracas, Venezuela, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (U.S. Southern Command/Venezuela Affairs Unit )
«Discussions focused on the security environment, steps to ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump’s three-phase plan – particularly the stabilization of Venezuela – and the importance of shared security across the Western Hemisphere,» U.S. Central Command also said.
The U.S. Embassy in Venezuela added in a post on X that it was a «historic day» in a push to «advance the objective of a Venezuela aligned with the United States.»
TRUMP SAYS US PILOTS WERE ‘HIT PRETTY BAD IN THE LEGS’ DURING MADURO CAPTURE MISSION
Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Ambassador Laura F. Dogu, the chargé d’affaires to the Venezuela Affairs Unit, and Joseph M. Humire, acting assistant secretary of war for homeland defense and the Americas, pose for a photo in Venezuela, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (U.S. Southern Command/Venezuela Affairs Unit )
Venezuela’s government said the U.S. delegation met with interim President Delcy Rodriguez, Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, with the two sides agreeing to coordinate on drug-trafficking, terrorism and migration, Reuters reported. The Associated Press also confirmed that Donovan, who is the head of American military operations in Latin America, met with Rodriguez.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, waves after bidding farewell to U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright following their meeting in Caracas, Venezuela, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Ariana Cubillos/AP)
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«The meeting reaffirms that diplomacy should be the mechanism for resolving differences and addressing issues of bilateral and regional interests,» it also cited Venezuela’s Communications Minister Miguel Angel Perez as saying on X.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
venezuelan political crisis,military,us marines,south america,us
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