Rep. Riley Moore told Newsmax on Wednesday that a report he delivered to the White House last month outlined "concrete actions" to address what he described as the ongoing persecution of Christians in Nigeria, warning that the United States may take a direct role if the Nigerian government does not act more swiftly.
Speaking on Newsmax's "National Report," the West Virginia Republican said the report was prepared at the request of President Donald Trump and in coordination with House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla.
The effort followed a congressional review into escalating violence targeting Christian communities in the West African nation.
"This report that we presented to the White House was pursuant to the president asking myself and Chairman Tom Cole ... to investigate this Christian persecution and what I've been calling a genocide in Nigeria," Moore said.
Moore said he recently traveled to Nigeria and witnessed conditions firsthand, describing the situation as a "tragedy and horror."
He pointed to recent attacks as evidence of worsening instability, including the killing of 40 people during a Palm Sunday service and the deaths of 13 others at a Christian wedding the same day.
The report includes recommendations for increased cooperation between the United States and Nigeria to combat extremist violence, Moore said.
However, he emphasized that patience in Washington is wearing thin.
"As President Trump has been very clear on this, if they don't address this, we're going to address it for them," Moore said.
"We'd like to do that in cooperation and coordination, but if they don't step up to the plate here, we're going to start to take the lead."
The U.S. already maintains a limited military presence in Nigeria, with roughly 200 U.S. personnel working alongside Nigerian forces to improve operational capabilities.
Moore noted that U.S. assets in the region include MQ-9 Reaper drones and referenced a Tomahawk cruise missile strike around Christmas targeting Islamic State and Boko Haram militants.
Despite those efforts, Moore said extremist groups continue to operate "largely unfettered," underscoring what he described as insufficient progress by Nigerian authorities.
"The Nigerian government has been trying to make some steps toward this, but they're not doing it fast enough," Moore said.
"Things aren't happening quick enough, and these things keep happening."
Moore's comments come as debate continues over how to characterize the violence in Nigeria.
A recent New York Times report said some U.S. lawmakers, including Moore, have "falsely claimed" that a Christian genocide is occurring, citing analysts who argue the conflict is more complex and involves victims from multiple faiths, with violence often driven by criminal activity rather than solely religious or ethnic motives.
Moore sharply criticized the report, accusing the newspaper of bias and of failing to seek his input before publication.
"This is disgusting. A new low, even for The New York Times," Moore said in a statement on X.
"It's been barely a day since Jos was rocked by this horrific attack by radical Islamic terrorists against peaceful Christians, and the Times couldn't bother to ask for comment before running this anti-Christian hit."
He added: "How many more Christians need to be slaughtered by Muslims, particularly on holy days, before the failing New York Times acknowledges that Christians in Nigeria are being massacred for their faith in our Lord and Savior? It's pretty obvious if you aren't trying to pass your radical political agenda off as news."
Moore said the situation demands urgent action, adding, "Something's got to give here."
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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