Many American Christians see persecution as something that happens in far away places, but Rep. Chris Smith says religious freedom “is under assault here,” not only places like Africa and the Middle East.
The storming of Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota by a pack of Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters is one example that’s been in the news lately.
There are other examples, particularly when Christian believes collide with LGBTQ initiatives in large public-school districts.
The U.S. Supreme Court last year held that the public schools in Montgomery County, Maryland, likely violated the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by requiring elementary students to read books on gender and sexuality, affirming gay marriage, in conflict with their parents’ religious beliefs — without providing parents with notice of the lessons or an option to opt out their children from reading those books.
Red-state efforts to display the Ten Commandments – for their historical value – are currently tied up in legislation.
But in no place are Christians under attack – physical attack – more than in Nigeria.
The watch group Open Door says that 4,849 Christians were killed for their faith worldwide between October 2024 and September 2025.
Seventy-two percent of those killings were in Nigeria.
President Donald Trump authorized airstrikes against Nigerian terrorists on Christmas Day, but security concerns remain, so much so that Trump this month signed off on sending a small team of U.S. troops to Nigeria.
The deployment was confirmed by General Dagvin Anderson, head of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), following an agreement with the Nigerian government to enhance counterterrorism efforts.
The trajectory for religious freedom over the last 40 years is not good, Smith told show host Tony Perkins.
“I think it’s getting much worse,” he said. “What’s causing it, in part, these dictatorships, they are so weak-minded and so fearful of loss of power. People of faith, when they have that foundation, they will ask for human rights.”
The growing threat of Islam – not just in Europe – is another factor.
“There’s the radical Islamist growing trend all over the world, including in the United States, but especially in the Middle East. It's been there for a long time. It’s gotten worse. Hamas is a quintessential example of that hatred for Jews and for Christians,” Smith said.
But no place matches the fury faced by Christians in Nigeria.
“What is happening is churches are being firebombed, people are being killed in cold blood, abductions, which is very, very big there in Nigeria, of Christians especially, but others. There’s this assault on faith that has gotten worse,” Smith said.
This persecution continues to be ignored in a massive cover-up by the Nigerian government, Smith said.
Because some attacks also target Muslims, the Nigerian government has said violence in the country affects people of all faiths so that there is no state-sanctioned persecution of Christians.
Nigeria’s foreign minister and other officials have stressed the constitution’s guarantees of religious freedom for all Nigerians.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last November denied the characterization of Nigeria is intolerant said his country is committed to religious freedom.
Apparently, too few people were listening to the claims of Nigerian government leaders.
DCI Group, a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs and lobbying firm, was hired by the Nigerian government to improve its image regarding human rights and religious protection efforts.
The firm was contracted for $9 million through a six-month agreement signed in December 2025, with an option for renewal.
DCI Group is tasked with communicating Nigeria’s actions to protect Christian communities and maintaining U.S. support in countering West African jihadist groups.
“What we need from Nigeria a very serious effort to say, ‘That’s it, enough, zero tolerance on allowing terrorists to do this’ rather than saying ‘nothing to see here’ and then hiring big firms here in D.C to put a false image on it,” Smith said.
