Senator Ted Budd, a Republican representing North Carolina in the U.S. Senate, used his social media platform to comment on recent international actions regarding religious freedom and persecution.
On October 31, 2025, Senator Budd publicly supported former President Donald Trump’s decision to label Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.” In his post, he stated, “President Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern is a necessary response to the brutal slaughtering of Christians & religious minorities. I am grateful to @POTUS and @SecRubio for their swift actions against terrorism & religious persecution.” The same day, Budd also shared an additional link without further commentary: “https://t.co/DCbZbXak5d”.
Continuing his focus on international religious rights, Budd posted again on November 1, 2025. He wrote, “The CCP’s restrictions on freedom of religion and cruelty toward religious minorities in China must come to an end.”
The U.S. government has periodically designated countries under the International Religious Freedom Act for severe violations against religious groups. This includes placing Nigeria on its list of Countries of Particular Concern due to ongoing violence and persecution faced by Christians and other minorities. In China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been widely criticized by human rights organizations and governments for its treatment of ethnic and religious minorities such as Uyghur Muslims and underground Christian communities.
Senator Budd’s statements align with longstanding concerns raised by various U.S. administrations about global religious freedoms and have drawn attention to continuing debates over American foreign policy responses to international human rights abuses.
