United States President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” following what he described as widespread killings of Christians in the country.
Trump made the declaration in a post on his Truth Social account on Friday, a message that was also shared on the official White House X (formerly Twitter) handle.
The former president expressed deep concern over what he termed an “existential threat” facing Christians in Nigeria, accusing “radical Islamists” of being behind the attacks.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’” Trump wrote.
“When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.”
He further stated that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and other countries,” pledging that America stands “ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
According to the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the term “country of particular concern” (CPC) is an official designation by the U.S. Secretary of State for nations that engage in or tolerate “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.” Countries placed on the CPC list may face diplomatic sanctions or restrictions on U.S. assistance.
Nigeria was first designated a CPC in 2020 during Trump’s first term, under then–Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, largely due to persistent religious violence and government inaction in protecting communities from extremist attacks. However, the Biden administration removed Nigeria from the list in 2021, a move that drew sharp criticism from religious rights groups such as the Family Research Council and Open Doors USA, which insist that persecution of Christians has worsened.
In recent years, several international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), have reported widespread killings and abductions of Christians in parts of northern and central Nigeria, often attributed to armed groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and Fulani militias.
Trump’s renewed focus on Nigeria’s religious crisis has sparked fresh debate among observers who see it as both a humanitarian concern and a political statement ahead of the U.S. 2026 elections, as he continues to position himself as a defender of global Christianity
