President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s proposed visit to the United States to resolve ongoing diplomatic tensions with the Donald Trump administration has reportedly been called off, Hobnob News has learned.
Reliable sources within the presidency confirmed that while preliminary discussions between the Nigerian government and the White House are underway, a physical meeting between both leaders “is not yet on the cards.”
According to the source, the forthcoming G-20 Summit in Durban, South Africa, scheduled for November 20, is now being considered as the most likely venue for a potential meeting between President Tinubu and President Trump.
“The meeting between President Bola Tinubu and Donald Trump is not going ahead as earlier reported. There are no plans for a Washington DC visit at the moment,” the source revealed. “However, there’s an invitation for President Tinubu to attend the G-20 Summit in South Africa, where both leaders may likely engage.”
Earlier reports had suggested that Presidents Tinubu and Trump would meet in the coming days—either at the State House in Abuja or at the White House in Washington—to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism and global security.
Daniel Bwala, Media Aide to President Tinubu, had previously said both leaders shared a mutual commitment to combating terrorism and safeguarding humanity from violent extremism.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interests in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism,” Bwala said.
“President Trump supported Nigeria’s security efforts by authorizing the sale of arms to the country, and President Tinubu has continued to build on that legacy with tangible results in the fight against terrorism.”
Bwala also noted that any perceived differences between the two leaders regarding terrorist targets in Nigeria would be clarified during their anticipated engagement.
Meanwhile, President Trump recently made strong remarks regarding religious violence in Nigeria, warning that the U.S. could intervene militarily if attacks on Christians persist.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that country ‘guns blazing’ to eliminate the terrorists committing these atrocities,” Trump said.
In response, the Nigerian presidency dismissed reports of genocide and reaffirmed the nation’s constitutional protection of religious freedoms.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” President Tinubu said in a statement.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained open engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while addressing security challenges that affect citizens across faiths and regions.”
President Tinubu further rejected what he described as a “mischaracterization” of Nigeria’s religious climate by foreign observers.
“The portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” he stated. “Religious tolerance has always been a core part of our collective identity, and our government does not condone or encourage persecution of any kind.”
He reaffirmed that his administration will continue collaborating with the international community to strengthen mutual understanding and ensure the protection of all religious groups.
