IN SHORT: While Trump has signed a number of executive orders, there is no evidence that he has expressly directed the children of Nigerian politicians to leave the country. Since retaking office in January 2025, US President Donald Trump has issued multiple executive orders. In this backdrop, posts circulating on Facebook in Nigeria suggest that he has ordered the repatriation of Nigerian politicians’ children studying or residing in the United States, beginning with those of President Bola Tinubu. The tweets quote Trump as saying: “I have ordered the deportation of all Nigerian politicians’ children back to Nigeria, including those studying here, beginning with the President’s children. You cannot devastate your own nation and then come here expecting for a better life in a well-run nation. It doesn’t work that way, believe me.”

The same claim appeared on Facebook here and here. (Note: See other instances of the claim at the end of this report.)

But did Trump order the deportation of the Nigerian politician’s children? We checked.

There is no proof that Trump gave such an order. A search of the US Federal Register, where such orders are recorded, revealed that none ordered the deportation of Nigerians. We also could not discover any on the official White House website, which is more up to date. Since Trump’s inauguration, the media has constantly tracked his speeches, policies, and executive orders. Trump’s immigration executive orders primarily targeted illegal immigrants crossing the US-Mexico border, as well as Mexican gangs and cartels. If he had issued a directive to deport Nigerian leaders’ children, including Tinubu’s, it would have made local and international news. There is no proof to back up online rumors that Trump ordered the deportation of Nigerian politician’s children. The allegation is false. The false  claim also appeared here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.