U.S. Lawmakers Warn Nigeria Against Undermining Trump’s Stance on Christian Persecution
Two prominent American lawmakers, Riley Moore and Ted Cruz, have issued strong warnings to Nigeria, urging the country’s government to cooperate with the United States in addressing the alleged persecution of Christians within its borders. Their statements come amid heightened concerns over the safety of religious minorities in Nigeria, particularly following claims by former President Donald Trump that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in the region.
Trump made these remarks on his Truth Social platform on October 31, accusing radical Islamists of being responsible for widespread violence against Christians. He described the situation as a “mass slaughter” and declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern.” This designation is typically reserved for nations where there are significant violations of religious freedom.
In response, Trump directed Moore, along with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, to investigate the matter and provide a report. The pressure from the former president intensified on November 1, when he threatened to deploy U.S. military forces if the Nigerian government failed to halt what he called the genocide of Christians.
Moore, who has been vocal about the issue, introduced a congressional resolution last Friday condemning the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria and expressing support for Trump’s efforts to address the crisis. In a post accompanied by a video clip of his interview with Fox News, Moore emphasized that Trump was determined to end the ongoing violence.
“Do not test President Trump’s resolve — he is serious about ending the ongoing slaughter of Christians in Nigeria. I am asking the Nigerian government to do the right thing and partner with the United States to protect Christians and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” he wrote.
During the interview, Moore revealed that he and other members of the House Appropriations Committee were working with key stakeholders, including the U.S. State Department, the White House, and the National Security Council, to develop a coordinated response to the violence.
“We have been working with the Appropriations Committee, which I’m a member of, and other relevant stakeholders within the House to come up with our findings. We did have a meeting this week with the State Department and have been in constant communication with the White House and the NSC on this issue,” he said.
When asked whether Democrat lawmakers would support Trump’s actions, Moore responded, “At this point, I have not had any indication that the Democrats will not support it. I certainly hope that they will join us in speaking with a unified voice to condemn the violence, where our brothers and sisters in Christ are being murdered every single day for the profession of their faith.”
Cruz’s Legislative Efforts to Address Religious Persecution
Similarly, Senator Ted Cruz, who represents Texas in the U.S. Senate, has also been vocal about the alleged genocide of Christians in Nigeria. In a viral audio clip trending on Saturday, he discussed his proposed bill seeking to compel the U.S. State Department to take a firmer stance on religious persecution in Nigeria.
According to Cruz, the legislation would ensure that Washington formally recognizes Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and imposes sanctions on officials found complicit in atrocities against Christians.
“My bill does several things. One of the things that it would do is direct the State Department to do what President Trump just did, which is designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern,” he said.
Cruz explained that beyond the designation, the bill would also mandate punitive measures against individuals responsible for enabling or covering up religious violence.
“The bill also specifically directs the State Department to impose sanctions on local and provincial officials that are complicit in these atrocities. That has not yet been carried out. I’m hopeful the Trump administration will do so,” he added.
The senator maintained that the U.S. had “enormous leverage” to compel changes in Nigeria through both diplomatic and economic pressure.
He said his campaign to draw attention to the killings had unsettled politicians across Nigeria’s political spectrum, many of whom were desperate to discredit his claims.
“There’s a reason that when I began calling out Nigeria for this mass murder of Christians, you had Nigerian politicians across the spectrum trying to argue against it. They are very, very afraid of the United States using our leverage to force them to change,” Cruz said.
The lawmaker added that Washington must not shy away from using its influence to demand accountability for what he described as “mass murder and systemic persecution.”