President Donald Trump is developing a comprehensive action plan that includes sanctions targeting the Nigerian government. The plan aims to increase pressure on Nigeria due to ongoing persecution of Christians. The information was revealed by Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights. Smith described Nigeria as the "ground zero" and "focal point" of the world's most brutal anti-Christian persecution. Smith shared these details during a speech at a summit organized by the nonprofit For the Martyrs.
5 days ago
U.S. President Donald Trump is developing a comprehensive action plan that includes sanctions against Nigeria to address ongoing Christian persecution. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, announced this during a December 9, 2025, speech at the Emergency Summit on Crimes Against Christians, organized by the nonprofit For the Martyrs.1 2 3
Smith, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights, described Nigeria as the "ground zero" of the world's most brutal anti-Christian violence. He praised Trump's recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), which enables a range of sanctions from diplomatic actions to economic measures.1 2 3
The White House has not yet commented on the plan, but Trump has tasked Rep. Riley Moore, R-West Virginia, with leading an investigation into the persecution.1 2 3
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, commended Trump for elevating Nigeria's status and standing up for persecuted Christians, quoting the Book of Revelation to highlight the resilience of the faith amid suffering.1 2 3
Hawley emphasized that global attention, including from the U.S. president, is now focused on Nigeria's crisis. He portrayed the persecuted church as a powerful witness to the Gospel's truth.1 2 3
Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Indiana, echoed this support, calling Trump the strongest advocate for religious freedom since Ronald Reagan. Stutzman questioned the perceived threat Christians pose to Nigeria's government and stressed America's role in protecting life as a divine gift.1 2 3
Nigeria faces severe anti-Christian violence, with Smith labeling it the focal point of murderous persecution worldwide. The CPC designation prioritizes religious freedom in U.S.-Nigeria relations, potentially reshaping bilateral ties.1 2 3
Related reports note that since 2009, over 52,000 Christians have been killed and more than 20,000 churches attacked or destroyed in Nigeria. Despite this, the country maintains the world's highest Mass attendance, reflecting deep faith amid adversity.1
Vatican perspectives, such as Cardinal Parolin's view of the conflict as primarily social rather than religious, have faced pushback from Church leaders who insist religion remains central to the violence.1
Speakers at the summit also addressed religious crackdowns in China, with Smith condemning Xi Jinping's raids on home churches as treating unapproved devotion as a political issue solved by brutality. He called for IRFA-prescribed sanctions against China.1 2 3
Hawley described China's government as totalitarian and anti-Christian, citing repeated raids on underground churches. This broader focus underscores a U.S. push to combat global religious persecution beyond Nigeria.1 2 3
The sanctions plan could pressure Nigeria toward reforms, placing religious freedom at the forefront of diplomacy. Congressional leaders view it as a vital step in protecting persecuted believers, potentially inspiring similar actions elsewhere.1 2 3
While igniting hope among Nigerian Christians, experts note the situation's complexity, blending religious, social, and security issues. Trump's initiative signals a renewed U.S. commitment to international religious liberty.1
Investigate Catholic Church’s stance on U.S. sanctions for religious persecution
The Catholic Church has consistently affirmed religious freedom as a fundamental human right rooted in the inherent dignity of the person, essential for both individual flourishing and societal peace. This stance extends to international advocacy, where the Church supports measures by governments, including the United States, to protect persecuted religious minorities. However, the Church's position on U.S. sanctions in response to religious persecution is nuanced: it endorses targeted sanctions aimed at holding violators accountable, particularly when they address direct threats to religious liberty, but cautions against broad economic measures that disproportionately harm vulnerable populations and hinder dialogue. Drawing from Vatican II teachings, papal addresses, and statements by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), this analysis explores the Church's balanced approach, emphasizing promotion of freedom through engagement while condemning persecution.
At the heart of the Church's teaching is the declaration in Dignitatis Humanae from Vatican II, which asserts that religious freedom is immune from coercion by individuals, groups, or any human power. This document outlines the government's duty to safeguard this right effectively through just laws and appropriate means, ensuring no discrimination based on religion and prohibiting the imposition or repression of faith by force. The common good of society depends on such protections, as religious liberty fosters justice, peace, and moral qualities derived from fidelity to God.
Papal teachings reinforce this foundation. Pope John Paul II repeatedly highlighted religious freedom as the "cornerstone of all human rights," indispensable for personal and societal well-being. In addresses concerning Nigeria—a nation plagued by ethnic and religious tensions—he urged governments to guarantee this freedom legally, free from coercion, to enable peaceful coexistence and national progress. For instance, he warned against the imposition of Islamic law (Sharia) on non-Muslims, which denies believers equal rights and undermines dialogue. Similarly, in Sudan, he decried efforts to build national unity on one religion, noting that curbing religious liberty injures peace by violating human transcendence. These principles apply globally: violence or discrimination in the name of religion perverts true faith and cannot be justified. The USCCB echoes this in its policy guidance, Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, stressing that U.S. policy must vigorously promote religious liberty abroad, as it is a right without boundaries.
In contexts of persecution, such as the waves of violence against Christians in Nigeria's Benue State, the Church calls for justice and solidarity across faiths. Recent USCCB letters express grief over killings and join Nigerian bishops in prayer for peace, reconciliation, and an end to attacks on defenseless communities. Pope Leo XIV's prayers for "security, justice, and peace" in these areas underscore the urgency. The Church views religious persecution not only as a violation of rights but as a threat to universal brotherhood and solidarity.
The Church explicitly supports U.S. sanctions when they target perpetrators of religious persecution, seeing them as tools to enforce accountability and protect human dignity. In a 2024 letter to Congress, the USCCB Chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace endorsed S. Res. 569, a resolution recognizing religious freedom as integral to U.S. foreign policy. This measure lists "Countries of Particular Concern" facing severe violations and urges the Department of State to impose sanctions on violators while expanding support for human rights activists. The USCCB's endorsement highlights the Church's view that such actions align with papal calls for peace, tolerance, and respect for dignity, as articulated by Pope Francis. For example, Francis warned against modern tyrannies suppressing religious freedom or using religion as a pretext for brutality, urging interfaith voices to demand protection.
This support complements advocacy for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which monitors violations and recommends policies, including sanctions. The USCCB urged reauthorization of USCIRF in 2024, emphasizing its role in addressing discrimination, harassment, and killings for faith, and quoting Francis on religious freedom as a "basic, primary and inalienable right" to be promoted everywhere. In Nigeria, where the Church faces militant Islam and interfaith conflicts, the USCCB has called for U.S. partnership to counter violence and extremism, empowering civil society—including Catholic networks—as a solution when governments fail. While not naming sanctions explicitly here, the broader context of USCCB advocacy implies approval of measured U.S. interventions to bolster religious liberty.
Theological depth underpins this: true religion glorifies God by upholding human life, and persecution—often masked as piety—violates God's image in others. Nigerian bishops, quoted in Church analyses, condemn using religion to trample rights, insisting no one has divine license to kill or persecute. Thus, sanctions serve justice by deterring such abuses, aligning with the Church's mission to foster solidarity and dialogue.
While endorsing targeted sanctions, the Church warns against broad punitive measures that exacerbate suffering without advancing freedom. In the Cuba backgrounder, the USCCB opposes the U.S. economic embargo, arguing it strengthens government control, weakens civil society, and harms the vulnerable—contrary to promoting human rights. Instead, it favors engagement, trade, and people-to-people contact to encourage openness and religious liberty. Cuban bishops and the Holy See echo this, denouncing crackdowns on dissent but rejecting isolation as counterproductive. The embargo's principal effect, per the USCCB, is to hurt the poor, not reform the regime.
This principle applies to religious persecution: sanctions must be precise, avoiding collective punishment that mirrors the coercion they aim to end. Papal addresses to Nigeria stress dialogue and reconciliation over confrontation, even amid violence. For instance, John Paul II met Muslim leaders there to promote joint service for justice, rejecting religion as a conflict tool. In Sudan and Nigeria, he advocated reminding governments of their duty to equality without endorsing blanket penalties. The USCCB's Nigeria letter to Secretary Blinken prioritizes empowering local Church assets for influence, urging U.S. collaboration rather than unilateral pressure.
Where sources diverge slightly—older papal speeches focus on moral suasion, while recent USCCB letters embrace policy tools like sanctions—more contemporary guidance prevails, integrating dialogue with accountability. No source advocates sanctions lightly; all prioritize the common good, ensuring measures respect human dignity.
The Catholic Church's stance on U.S. sanctions for religious persecution is resolute yet prudent: it affirms their legitimacy as instruments of justice when targeted at violators, as seen in USCCB support for resolutions and USCIRF that hold regimes accountable for suppressing faith. Rooted in Dignitatis Humanae and papal teachings, this upholds religious freedom as essential to peace, condemning persecution as a perversion of religion. However, the Church cautions against broad sanctions that isolate and impoverish, favoring engagement to build solidarity, as exemplified in Cuba and Nigeria advocacy. Ultimately, the goal is a world where faith fosters brotherhood, not division—urging U.S. policy to protect the persecuted while promoting dialogue for lasting reconciliation.