Topic: Niger Coup

French soldiers have begun withdrawing from Niger following orders from the military junta that took power in July. While the U.S. has formally designated the takeover as a coup and suspended aid, officials stated they have no plans to remove the 1,000 U.S. military personnel currently stationed in the country. The hosts highlight the irony of the U.S. remaining while the French are ousted.

General Moussa Salou Barmou, a leader of the recent coup in Niger, was revealed to have been trained by the U.S. military and recently met with U.S. Special Operations commanders. This marks the 11th coup in West Africa involving U.S.-trained officers since 2008. The junta has appointed Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a former finance minister and banker, as the new Prime Minister.

A military coup in Niger has sparked large-scale protests against French military presence and Western influence in the Sahel region. Protesters in Niamey have displayed Russian flags and expressed support for the junta, citing the failure of Western nations to stop the regional jihadist insurgency.

The United States government has hesitated to officially label the military takeover in Niger as a "coup" to avoid triggering laws that mandate the immediate cutoff of foreign and military assistance. General Abdourahamane Tiani declared himself the new head of state after the presidential guard detained President Mohamed Bazoum. The White House continues to call for the restoration of the democratically elected government while monitoring the regional crisis.