US Lawmakers Back Trump’s Designation Of Nigeria
The United States President, Donald Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern has been hailed as a source of hope for millions of persecuted Christians in the country, as lawmakers in Washington called for tougher measures and sanctions against those responsible for religious violence.
In a statement issued by the House Values Action Team Chairman, Rep. Robert Aderholt, 31 members of Congress applauded Trump’s move, describing it as a bold and compassionate step toward ending what they termed “a growing Christian genocide” in Africa’s most populous nation.
According to the lawmakers, the designation “gives hope to the people of Nigeria” and shows the United States’ renewed commitment to defending religious freedom worldwide.
“President Trump’s commitment to end the Christian genocide in Nigeria and his designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern gives hope to the people of Nigeria. This persecution of Christians must end,” Congressman Aderholt said.
He noted that “terrorist groups in Nigeria” had “killed thousands of believers annually,” emphasizing that the United States must “lead in confronting this violence” and ensure global protection for people of faith.
Lawmakers also urged the Trump administration to impose additional sanctions and diplomatic pressure on the Nigerian government.
The Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, Rep. Chris Smith, said the reinstatement of the CPC status was “a powerful step forward in holding the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the unchecked murder, rape, and torture of Christians.”
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer praised Trump’s leadership, saying, “God bless President Trump for standing up and protecting Christians around the globe. The United States finally has a leader unafraid to do what’s right.”
GOP Chair Lisa McClain described the situation in Nigeria as “a moral outrage and a crime against humanity,” while Reps. Josh Brecheen, Mary Miller, and Mark Alford backed calls for sanctions and stronger international action to stop the killings.
Other lawmakers, including Don Bacon, Andy Biggs, Gus Bilirakis, and Tim Walberg, echoed similar sentiments, urging Washington to deploy “every diplomatic and strategic tool” to protect Nigerian Christians and push for accountability.
It was earlier reported that President Donald Trump again said the United States would stand by while ‘Christians are being killed’ in Nigeria.
In a speech, he again reteirated that he has designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over what he described as large-scale killings of Christians, and warned that Washington could cut aid or even take military action if the violence continues.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed, radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern, that is a legal definition,” Trump wrote in a social-media post.
He drew attention to global figures and urged rapid action from U.S. lawmakers. “When the Christians or any such group is slaughtered like it’s happening in Nigeria 3100 Vs 4476 Worldwide, what horrible numbers.”
Trump called on members of Congress to move quickly, singling out appropriations leaders. “Something has to be done, I am asking Congressman Riley Moore together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee to immediately look into this matter to report back to me, I mean like immediately.”
He added that the United States could intervene to protect religious minorities. “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and other countries. It’s not only in Nigeria, it’s all over. We are able and willing to defend Christians, the killing of Christians, it is not going to happen.”
The Nigerian government has rejected the characterisation and pushed back against the claim that the violence amounts to targeted genocide, saying the country’s constitution protects all faiths and that security challenges affect communities across religious lines.
Last Friday, President Trump announced that, in response to claims of genocide against Christians in Nigeria, he had redesignated the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
He made the announcement on his Truth Social media platform, writing: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — But that is the least of it.”
He went on to say the US may conduct a military operation in the country if ‘killings of Christians’ continued.
