United States President Donald Trump has once again voiced concerns over what he described as widespread killings of Christians in Nigeria, warning that such violence poses a grave threat to Christianity in the country.
In a video released by the White House on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Trump alleged that “thousands and thousands” of Christians have been killed in Nigeria, blaming “radical Islamists” for what he termed a “mass slaughter.”
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump stated.
The U.S. president also announced that Nigeria is being classified as a “country of particular concern,” explaining that the decision was based on legal grounds.
“I am hereby making Nigeria a country of particular concern. That’s a legal definition. When the Christians or any such group is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria, 3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide,” he said.
Calling for immediate government action, Trump described the figures as alarming and urged the U.S. Congress to take prompt steps.
“What horrible numbers. 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 and to report back to me. And I mean like immediately,” he added.
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He emphasized that the United States would not remain passive in the face of such atrocities, vowing that the killing of Christians would not be tolerated under his administration.
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria and numerous other countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world. This is not going to happen. The killing of Christians is not going to happen,” Trump declared.
Earlier, Trump had threatened to deploy the U.S. Department of War to Nigeria if the alleged Christian genocide was not stopped. His remarks were also posted on his Truth Social account and shared on the White House’s X page.
The “country of particular concern” status is an official U.S. designation applied to nations accused of violating or restricting religious freedoms. According to the Family Research Council’s 2022 publication, the designation is often issued by the U.S. Secretary of State when a country is deemed to engage in actions that threaten basic human rights or U.S. national interests.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has refuted claims of religious persecution.
In a statement released by President Bola Tinubu on November 1, the Federal Government reaffirmed that Nigeria “stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.” Tinubu noted that since 2023, his administration had worked closely with both Christian and Muslim leaders to address security concerns affecting citizens across all faiths and regions.
He maintained that portraying Nigeria as a country of religious intolerance “does not reflect our national reality,” stressing that religious freedom and coexistence “have always been central to our collective identity.”