Trump redesignates Nigeria as country of particular concern

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he has redesignated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern," saying Christianity in the West African nation is facing an "existential threat" and urging U.S. lawmakers to investigate what he described as large-scale killings of Christians. The announcement, posted on his social media platform, named Nigeria to a State Department watch list used for countries the United States says have engaged in severe violations of religious freedom.

"Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed," Trump wrote, adding that "radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter" and citing figures of 3,100 killings in Nigeria compared with 4,476 worldwide. He asked Representative Riley Moore, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole and the Appropriations Committee to "immediately look into this matter" and report back to him. He also wrote that the United States "cannot stand by" while such atrocities occur and said Washington was prepared to act on behalf of Christian populations globally. He did not specify what form any U.S. intervention or response would take, and his post did not...