Trump says Christians in Nigeria faces ‘existential threat’, adds country to watch list
Donald Trump, president of United States of America on Friday issued a statement condemning what he called a rising wave of violence against Christians in Nigeria, urging that the United States “cannot stand by” while such atrocities continue abroad.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He accused “radical Islamists” of killing thousands of Christians and called on Congress to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a label that could trigger tighter diplomatic or economic measures.
Trump said he has requested that Representative Riley Moore, in coordination with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, launch an investigation and report their findings.
“We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the world,” he added.
The remarks come as Nigeria faces recurring security challenges in regions such as Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue states, where attacks by armed groups, bandits, and extremist militias affect Christian communities.
While the Nigerian government often frames violence in terms of criminality or communal conflict, international human rights organisations have documented patterns that they argue amount to religious persecution.
Earlier this month, Ted Cruz,a Texas senator said that more than 50,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, a claim the Nigerian government denies.
The Texas senator said in a post on X on that Christians have been “massacred” in Nigeria, while thousands of churches and schools have been destroyed.
