Politics
Trump threatens to halt all US aid, conduct ‘vicious’ military attack in Nigeria over Christian persecution
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President Donald Trump on Saturday announced the U.S. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria if its government continues to allow the killing of Christians, and may even go into the country “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists” responsible.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
The post comes after the president on Friday designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” citing the widespread killings of Christians.
I’M A CHRISTIAN FROM NIGER. DON’T IGNORE HORRIFYING ATTACKS ON AFRICAN CHRISTIANS
President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, said the country has taken action to safeguard religious freedom. (Ton Molina/Getty Images)
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump posted to Truth Social Friday. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’—But that is the least of it.”
He said Rep. Riley Moore, R-W. Va., Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and members of the House Appropriations Committee were directed to look into the reports and present findings to him at a later date.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries,” Trump wrote. “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!”
WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SURGE IN CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION CRISIS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Pope Leo XIV condemned the killings of up to 200 people in Yelewata community in Nigeria. (Associated Press)
The persecution of Christians in Nigeria has reached crisis levels, as Islamist militants burn down villages, massacre worshipers and displace thousands across the north and central regions.
Attackers in June invaded a bishop’s village days after he testified before Congress, killing more than twenty people.
Other assaults in Plateau and Benue states have left hundreds dead, with survivors describing militants shouting “Allahu Akbar” as they burned churches and homes.
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)
International watchdog group Open Doors reported nearly 70% of Christians killed for their faith last year were in Nigeria.
Groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Fulani militants are blamed for most attacks, often targeting Christian farmers. Rights groups estimate 4,000–8,000 Christian deaths annually.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital 50,000 Christians have been killed and 20,000 Christian schools and churches destroyed in the country since 2009, calling it “a crisis of religious genocide.”
Mark Walker, Trump’s ambassador-designate for International Religious Freedom, urged stronger U.S. pressure on Nigeria’s government, calling the violence a humanitarian crisis. He also pledged to work with Secretary of State Marco Rubio to strengthen U.S. advocacy.
I WAS KIDNAPPED BY BOKO HARAM, AND SURVIVED. NO THANKS TO THE WEST’S SILENCE
The White House and global leaders have condemned the violence, warning it could spread across Africa. However, Nigerian officials have denied systematic persecution, calling U.S. reports “misleading.”
Hours before Trump’s threat Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu posted a statement on X, noting Nigeria “stands firmly” as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,” Tinubu wrote in the statement. “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians. Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
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“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” he continued. “Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths. Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.”
Fox News Digital’s Efrat Lachter and Sophia Compton contributed to this report.
Politics
Video: Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
new video loaded: Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
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transcript
Trump Claims Deal With Iran Is Close and Retracts Threat to Attack
President Trump said he had canceled the next wave of attacks on Iran after two days of U.S. airstrikes, claiming that peace negotiations had progressed.
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Most importantly, we have a deal that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon, which was the whole purpose of what we had to go through to get this. So it was a big, very big thing. The strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon, maybe over the weekend. In Europe, I won’t be able to be there, but JD will be there — vice president and some of the people.
By Meg Felling, James McManagan and Julie Yoon
June 11, 2026
Politics
Mamdani touts massive taxpayer-funded investment for trans healthcare: ‘First step’
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As part of the Pride Month celebration on Tuesday evening, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani touted the work his administration has done to expand services for LGBTQ+ communities, calling New York City a “haven” for people with alternative gender identities.
In particular, Mamdani doubled down on promises of $15 million in funding for trans communities.
“The threats will continue and so will our relentless protection of trans people across this city,” Mamdani said, referring to challenges he said LGBTQ+ communities face.
“As a first step, my administration has made a $15 million investment in gender affirming care over the next two years, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to make sure every trans and gender non-conforming New Yorker can live with the dignity, safety and freedom they deserve.”
MAMDAMI MARKS PRIDE MONTH, SAYS HONORING ‘QUEER AND TRANSGENDER’ CONTRIBUTIONS WOULD TAKE MORE THAN 30 DAYS
Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a May Day rally at Washington Square Park in New York City on May 1, 2026. On Monday, Mamdani called for ICE to be abolished following the arrest of an illegal immigrant. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
Mamdani’s speech builds on similar efforts in other cities and looks to follow through on campaign promises Mamdani made on the road to his mayoral victory.
It’s unclear where, exactly, the $15 million request is being allocated from or how it will be disbursed as New York City Council members continue consideration of the 2027 budget.
Progressive-led subsidized transgender initiatives have also advanced in San Francisco.
Like New York, San Francisco established an Office of Transgender Initiatives and, through its Department of Public Health, has funded guidance for hormone therapy, surgery and mental health case management.
MASSACHUSETTS TOWN VOTES TO BECOME A TRANSGENDER ‘SANCTUARY CITY’ AFTER WILD CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers his 100 Days Address outlining progress on his core campaign promises in Queens, New York City, on April 12, 2026. (David ‘Dee’ Delgado/Reuters)
If implemented, Mamdani’s initiative would go further, directly funding procedures.
Despite pushing the envelope on city-led programs for trans services, the New York funding falls short of the vision Mamdani painted while on the campaign trail.
“The Mamdani administration will budget $65 million in funding to explicitly support and expand access to Gender Affirming Care (GAC) in NYC,” Mamdani’s campaign website read.
That plan detailed that up to $57 million would go to public hospitals, community clinics, health centers and non-profits that could perform procedures.
Although Mamdani’s plan for the $15 million remains hazy, he said his support of the LGBTQ community was proven — and would only grow.
GRAMMY-WINNING MUSICIAN FIGHTS TRUMP’S TRANS EXECUTIVE ORDER BY DONATING TO PEOPLE SEEKING GENDER SURGERIES
New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attends the 2025 New York City Pride March on June 29, 2025 in New York City. (Noam Galai/Getty Images)
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“As your mayor, I was proud to establish New York City’s first-ever office of LGBTQIA+ affairs within the first 100 days of our administration,” Mamdani said.
“This office focuses on the well-being of queer New Yorkers so that you know you have a champion and advocate within city government.”
Politics
House Democrats ask new ICE director to roll back policy limiting oversight visits
WASHINGTON — Dozens of House Democrats are asking the new director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to roll back a policy that they say hinders their ability to speak with detainees during oversight visits.
The new policy requires that lawmakers identify detainees by name at least two business days before a visit and provide a signed consent form from each detainee. It’s the latest point of conflict in an ongoing battle over when and how lawmakers can inspect immigration facilities.
In a letter Thursday to acting ICE Director David Venturella, Rep. Mike Levin (D-San Juan Capistrano) and 77 other members of Congress, including two dozen from California, argued that they need to conduct constant oversight of immigration facilities because of historic levels of reports regarding the mistreatment of detainees, deaths in custody and substandard facility conditions.
“This Administration has enabled a revolving door of arbitrary policies, directives, and guidance on member access to facilities or on communication with detainees designed to hinder any productive oversight,” they wrote.
The letter was written in response to the new policy, which was outlined in a memo last month.
In the letter, Levin and the other members wrote that detainees have a hard time accessing the visitation form because it is at times unavailable at a detention center’s law library. They said it limits their ability to speak broadly with detainees, particularly those from vulnerable populations, such as the elderly.
Detainees previously used a sign-up sheet to meet with members of Congress or just started talking to detainees they encountered during facility tours.
In the memo outlining ICE’s new policy, then-acting director Todd Lyons said the increased visits by members of Congress have become a burden and a time suck. Homeland Security didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment, but previously said that the policy doesn’t prevent lawmakers from speaking with detainees.
Levin said the increase in visits was necessary because the agency slashed staffing of its oversight offices. The letter notes that for next fiscal year, the president requested additional cuts to the Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
“These actions, coupled with the constant changes to policies surrounding member access to facilities, reveal a clear attack on the levers that ensure government transparency at every level,” the members wrote.
Democratic House members sued the Trump administration last July after they were repeatedly denied access to immigrant detention facilities in California and across the country.
Homeland Security officials previously implemented a policy requiring lawmakers to give seven days’ notice before a visit, but that policy was temporarily blocked in federal court.
This week, lawyers said a Belizean man who helped organize hunger strikes at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center was moved to facilities out of state and scheduled to be deported after he spoke to three members of Congress about conditions at the detention center in San Bernardino County.
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