United States President Donald Trump has instructed key lawmakers, including members of the House Appropriations Committee, to investigate the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, setting the stage for a joint congressional briefing scheduled for Tuesday.
The development was confirmed by Rep. Riley Moore in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday. Moore wrote, “President Trump asked me and @HouseAppropsGOP to investigate the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. As part of this investigation, the committee is hosting a roundtable to continue building on the work we’ve done so far. We will never turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters in Christ who suffer for their faith.”
The U.S. House Appropriations Committee also announced the president’s directive, stating that senior lawmakers, including Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Chair of the National Security & Department of State subcommittee, Rep. Robert Aderholt, Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education subcommittee, and Moore, will lead a roundtable discussion with expert witnesses to examine the issue.
The committee described the briefing as a crucial step to gather testimony that will inform a comprehensive report directed by President Trump on the killings and displacement of Nigerian Christians. The statement read, “House Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and National Security Subcommittee Chairman Mario Diaz-Balart, joined by fellow Appropriators and members of the Foreign Affairs and Financial Services Committees, will convene a joint briefing with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and other experts to spotlight the escalating violence and targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
In October 2025, President Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern”, citing alleged genocide against Christians in the country. On Truth Social, Trump said, “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’ — But that is the least of it.”
Trump further emphasized that the U.S. stands ready to act, directing lawmakers to investigate and report on the situation, and affirming support for vulnerable Christian communities worldwide.
The move follows persistent concerns raised by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which has reported widespread attacks on Christian communities, including killings, destruction of places of worship, and mass displacement, particularly in northern Nigeria. U.S. Senators have also expressed alarm over the targeting of Christians in the country.
However, the Nigerian government has consistently denied that insecurity is targeted at any specific religious group, maintaining that the violence affecting the country is driven by broader security challenges.
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Reporting by Samuel Gbenga Salau in Lagos, Nigeria.
