Why is Donald Trump looking towards Nigeria when his own country is battling shutdowns and unpaid workers?

What Exactly Is Donald Trump Looking for in Nigeria?

Nigeria is the land where the man who married Donald Trump’s daughter learned values.

Michael Boulos, born in Lebanon but raised in Lagos, grew up walking our streets, learning from our culture, and inheriting the Nigerian spirit of enterprise. Today, his name connects one of America’s most controversial leaders to Africa’s most vibrant nation.

And yet, while Trump’s family ties trace back to our soil, his recent words toward Nigeria raise one pressing question:
What exactly is Donald Trump looking for in Nigeria, while his own country is struggling to stay afloat?

In the United States, a federal government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, has left more than 1.4 million workers either furloughed or working without pay. The government cannot fund its agencies, and the uncertainty grows daily.

Yet, amid this internal chaos, th e President has turned his attention outward, this time toward Nigeria.

He recently labeled Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious-freedom violations and went further to warn that the U.S. could deploy troops or carry out airstrikes if the Nigerian government fails to “protect Christians.”

Trump threatened to halt all forms of aid to Nigeria, declaring that the U.S. Department of Defense was being prepared for “possible action”, what he described as a “fast, vicious, and sweet” response. What is he doing about the shutdown in his country?

The Nigerian government immediately rejected Trump’s claims, insisting that the narrative of religious persecution is deeply misleading.
Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all, and both Christians and Muslims have been victims of violence driven more by banditry, and poverty than by faith.

Foreign policy experts warn that such threats of invasion or sanctions often serve political interests rather than humanitarian ones. They reflect a pattern where Africa becomes a stage for external influence rather than a partner in global peace.

But here’s the irony:
While Trump talks about “protecting the oppressed” abroad, over 30,000 U.S. veterans remain homeless back home.

While he calls for “justice in Nigeria,” millions of American families are wondering when their next paycheck will arrive.

And while he warns Nigeria about governance, his own government is paralyzed by budget deadlock.

Trump’s son-in-law learned early from Nigeria what America seems to be forgetting, that values shape nations.

Nigeria, despite its challenges, remains a country of community, courage, and creativity. Our people innovate through adversity. Our entrepreneurs build from scarcity. Our faith communities coexist far more peacefully than outsiders portray.

So perhaps the real question is not about Nigeria’s stability but about America’s moral compass.

Trump may have family ties to Nigeria, but his words remind us that power often comes wrapped in hypocrisy.
He should fix the shutdown crippling his nation, house the veterans sleeping under bridges, and rebuild the trust of his people before pointing fingers at others.

Because while America debates its failures, Nigeria still holds what the world has lost; hope, faith, and the will to rise.

So we ask again:
What exactly is Trump looking for in Nigeria?
Maybe, just maybe, it’s the values his own country has forgotten.

An exclusive insight from an African who has lived in the United States for over 25 years, shared during an interview with African Media & Communications Consulting