In a sharp escalation of U.S.–Nigeria tensions, President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of tolerating mass killings of Christians and threatened possible military intervention. On October 31, 2025, Trump announced that Nigeria would be re-designated a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), a classification used by the U.S. State Department for countries flagged for serious religious-freedom violations.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump declared on his social-media platform. He further instructed the U.S. Pentagon to prepare for possible action and warned that all U.S. aid to Nigeria could be cut if the government fails to act.
Nigeria swiftly rejected the allegations. Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala called Trump’s remarks “misleading” and characterised them as a coercive foreign tactic rather than constructive diplomacy. Nigeria’s government emphasised that the country’s security issues transcend religion, and that both Christians and Muslims suffer from insurgents such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In reaction to the U.S. designation, Nigeria reiterated its commitment to protecting religious freedom and urged the international community to avoid portraying its security crisis as sectarian. The government also welcomed technical assistance only if it respects Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Analysts warn that while attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria are real, describing the violence as “Christian genocide” oversimplifies a complex mix of extremist insurgencies, ethnic conflicts and herder-farmer clashes that affect all faiths.
Congressional pressures are also mounting. U.S. lawmakers, including Riley Moore and Ted Cruz, have urged investigations into Nigerian violence against Christians and are pushing for harsh diplomatic consequences.