‘Don’t Test Trump’s Resolve,’ U.S. Lawmaker Warns Nigeria Over Killings of Christians
Washington D.C. – November 9, 2025
A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government of Nigeria, urging it not to underestimate President Donald Trump’s determination to act against the ongoing genocide of Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking during an interview on Fox News, Moore said President Trump remained deeply concerned about the continuous killing of Christians across Nigeria and was ready to use all available means to stop the bloodshed if the Nigerian government failed to act decisively.
“I would not bet against President Donald Trump at all, and I have said this multiple times. Do not test this president’s resolve; he is very serious about stopping these killings,” Moore declared.
Donald Trump had earlier promised to halt U.S. aid to Nigeria if the government fails to protect Christians. He also signalled possible military intervention, warning that U.S. forces could go into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate the terrorists.
The lawmaker emphasised that rather than resisting international pressure, Nigeria should seize the opportunity to build a stronger strategic alliance with the United States to combat the wave of terrorist attacks plaguing its communities.
“This is an opportunity for Nigerians to strengthen and deepen their relationship with the United States. What we can actually do is to enhance partnership capacity with them to counter this terrorist threat that they have, just spreading across their country,” he added.
Moore called on the Nigerian government to cooperate fully with the U.S. in protecting vulnerable Christian populations, noting that Washington was willing to assist through strategic partnership.
“So, I’m just asking Nigeria, do the right thing here; partner with the United States, help us protect the Christians in your country, and we will help you. This doesn’t have to be all sticks; it can also be carrots here,” he said.
However, he warned that the U.S. government, under President Trump, would not hesitate to deploy “kinetic military options,” a term widely interpreted as possible U.S. military intervention or direct action should the Nigerian government continue to ignore the attacks.
“We do have these kinetic military options on the table, which the president has made very clear he will consider,” Moore warned.
His comments come amid rising global outcry over the reported mass killings of Christians in Nigeria by Fulani armed groups and terrorists. According to a report by International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), over 7,000 Christians were killed in the first seven months of 2025.
Human rights organisations and faith-based advocacy groups have repeatedly accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to protect Christian communities from targeted violence, and are colluding with Fulani terrorists who are carrying out the Jihad.
The Nigerian government, however, insists that the killings are not religiously motivated, but rather a consequence of banditry, terrorism, and communal conflicts that have affected both Christians and Muslims alike.
Nigerians have expressed deep outrage over their government’s apparent indifference to the relentless bloodshed tearing through communities across the country. Many accused the authorities of wasting precious time debating whether the atrocities should be called Christian genocide or not, instead of confronting the crisis head-on.
Citizens insist that even though the Jihad is targeted against Christians, the real issue is not the label, but the lives being lost daily, men, women, and children, both Christian and some moderate Muslims, slaughtered while those in power argue semantics.
To them, every drop of blood spilled should be a national tragedy, and the government’s silence, inaction, and collusion have become as haunting as the killings themselves.
Moore’s comments follow fresh calls within the U.S. Congress for Nigeria to be redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, a move that should trigger sanctions and other diplomatic actions.
The warning by Representative Riley M. Moore to the Nigerian government, in conjunction with the tougher stance signalled by Donald J. Trump, marks a significant intensification of U.S. engagement on the issue of Christian killings in Nigeria.
With Washington’s stance hardening under President Trump’s renewed leadership, observers say the coming weeks will test Nigeria’s diplomatic skill as well as their commitment to the war against terrorism as it navigates growing pressure from the United States to act decisively against the attacks targeting Christian communities.
