Washington, D.C., Dec. 4 — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned in a Fox News interview Wednesday that radical Islamist movements seeking to expand control over territory and populations represent an “imminent threat” to the United States and the West.
Rubio said these groups do not aim merely to hold isolated enclaves but to spread influence and dominate other societies. He described them as revolutionary in nature and asserted they view the U.S. as “the chief source of evil on the planet.”
“Radical Islam has shown that their desire is not simply to occupy one part of the world and be happy with their own little caliphate; they want to expand,” Rubio said. He added that such actors are willing to use terrorism, assassinations and other violent means, including nation-state actions in some cases, to advance their goals.
In the same interview Rubio warned that the threat extends to the West broadly, including Europe and the United States, and emphasized the groups’ readiness to use violence to gain influence and “ultimately their domination of different cultures and societies.”
Rubio also announced stepped-up visa restrictions for individuals involved in violence against Christians in Nigeria and elsewhere. In a post on X, he said the State Department will deny U.S. visas to people who “knowingly direct, authorize, fund, support, or carry out violations of religious freedom,” applying the policy to Nigeria and other governments or individuals that persecute people for their beliefs.
The visa announcement follows heightened concern in some U.S. political circles about attacks on Christian communities abroad. Earlier, former President Donald Trump suggested that Washington could consider military options against Nigeria, asserting that Christians there are being deliberately targeted. The remarks drew support from right-wing and evangelical groups in the U.S.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also signaled U.S. engagement on the issue, saying he met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu and his delegation to discuss “the horrific violence against Christians in their country.”
Nigeria has been fighting Islamist insurgencies, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), for more than 15 years. That conflict, concentrated in the northeast, has killed thousands and displaced millions, contributing to widespread humanitarian and security challenges.
