U.S. Senator Ted Cruz on Tuesday threw his support behind President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged Christian persecution, pledging to introduce legislation targeting Nigerian officials and promising to publicly name those he holds responsible.

The announcement, made from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee room and shared on X, intensifies diplomatic tensions already stirred by Trump’s recent threats of aid cuts and military intervention.

Cruz, a Texas Republican known for his advocacy of religious freedom, credited Trump for reviving the CPC designation, which was last applied in 2020 and dropped under President Biden in 2021. “Now we should take the next step and hold Nigerian officials accountable,” Cruz wrote. “I intend to be very explicit about who they are in the coming days and weeks.”

The move has reignited a contentious debate. U.S.-based rights organizations such as Open Doors and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom cite alarming figures—7,000 Christian deaths in 2025 alone and over 19,000 church attacks since 2009—as justification for stronger action. Trump’s October 31 post on Truth Social labeled the situation an “existential threat” and warned of a “guns-a-blazing” response if the violence continues, potentially jeopardizing $1.2 billion in U.S. aid to Nigeria.

Nigerian officials have pushed back forcefully. Information Minister Mohammed Idris dismissed the claims as “unwarranted” and based on “faulty data,” emphasizing that the violence stems from complex farmer-herder conflicts affecting multiple faiths. He cited 1,200 arrests and ongoing efforts to address insecurity. President Bola Tinubu has proposed a summit with Trump to open dialogue and defuse tensions.

Meanwhile, EU Ambassador Gautier Mignot reaffirmed the European Union’s support for Nigeria’s sovereignty and inclusive governance, distancing the bloc from Washington’s hardline stance. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom continues to support the CPC label, ranking Nigeria ninth globally for religious persecution.

Observers warn that the escalating rhetoric could destabilize investment and strain bilateral relations. Dr. Musa Yusuf of the Centre for Private Enterprise cautioned that sanctions and public naming could undermine Nigeria’s efforts to balance extremism, ethnic tensions, and economic recovery.