ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) — President Donald Trump has signaled a potential military intervention in Nigeria, citing concerns over widespread violence against Christians in the region. Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of deploying U.S. troops or launching air strikes to address the situation.

When questioned about the specifics of a military response, Trump remained open-ended, saying, “Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things.” He emphasized the gravity of the situation, describing the killings of Christians in Nigeria as occurring in “very large numbers,” and affirmed, “We’re not going to allow that to happen.”

The president’s remarks came during his return to Washington after spending the weekend at his Florida vacation home. His comments followed a warning issued on Saturday, where he stated that military action might be considered if Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, fails to curb the violence against its Christian population.

This development aligns with the Trump administration’s recent decision to re-add Nigeria to the “Countries of Particular Concern” list, which identifies nations accused of violating religious freedoms. Other countries on this list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, highlighting the U.S. government’s focus on religious persecution worldwide.

The U.S. president’s threat of military action came a day after his administration added Nigeria back to a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations that the U.S. says have violated religious freedoms. Other nations on the list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan.