Trump’s Religious Freedom Agenda Needs to Extend Beyond Nigeria

The decision to designate Nigeria as a CPC marks the first major international religious freedom action of Trump’s second term. But it is not the first for the United States, where a principled approach to religious freedom to advance American values and interests has been a distinctive, bipartisan feature of foreign policy since 1998 . When people face violence on account of their faith, repression expands, extremism increases, and millions flee, contributing to unprecedented levels of global migration . Additionally, governments that fail to respect the fundamental freedoms of their people cannot be counted upon to adhere to international agreements, weakening the legitimacy of U.S. partners. Addressing the drivers of religious persecution can prevent the expansion of global challenges, limit human suffering, and lead to a safer, more secure United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Oct. 31 designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) for the alleged killing of Christians made global headlines. Trump declared that the United States would stand with “our CHERISHED Christians” around the world, threatening to halt all aid to Nigeria and even claiming the U.S. might take unilateral military action to “wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” if the Nigerian government did not act quickly to stop the killing.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Oct. 31 designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) for the alleged killing of Christians made global headlines. Trump declared that the United States would stand with “our CHERISHED Christians” around the world, threatening to halt all aid to Nigeria and even claiming the U.S. might take unilateral military action to “wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” if the Nigerian government did not act quickly to stop t