U.S. President Donald Trump has acknowledged that Muslims are also being killed in Nigeria while warning that Washington could carry out additional airstrikes if violence continues.

Trump made the remarks in a recent interview with The New York Times, following U.S. airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting jihadist camps in Sokoto State, according to U.S. officials.

“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” Trump said, adding that further strikes remain possible. “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. QBut if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

The U.S. military said it bombed two camps linked to a jihadist group known as Lakurawa in northwest Nigeria, a predominantly Muslim area near the Niger border. Neither U.S. nor Nigerian authorities released casualty figures or an official assessment.

The strikes followed earlier threats by Trump to deploy U.S. forces to Nigeria “guns-a-blazing”, claims that drew criticism from Nigerian officials who deny allegations of a targeted genocide against Christians.

Nigeria’s government says extremist violence affects all communities and has expressed willingness to work with the United States and other allies on security cooperation.

International reaction included condemnation from Pope Leo XIV, who criticised attacks on sovereign nations by major powers.