In a Christmas Day announcement, President Donald Trump disclosed that he had ordered military strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, specifically focusing on militants responsible for attacks on Christian communities. The president described the targets as “terrorist scum” in his characteristic rhetoric.
The strikes materialized following Trump’s earlier warnings issued in October and November, during which he characterized the situation facing Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal levels. The president had explicitly warned terrorist groups that failure to stop the violence would result in severe consequences, a promise now fulfilled through military action.
Trump detailed that the strikes were conducted against militants engaged in the vicious killing of primarily innocent Christian populations. He praised the Department of War’s execution of what he termed “numerous perfect strikes,” emphasizing that only the United States possesses such military capabilities. The president reiterated his administration’s zero-tolerance stance toward radical Islamic terrorism.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry released a statement confirming the strikes as part of ongoing security cooperation with the United States. The collaboration between the two nations includes intelligence sharing and strategic planning to address militant groups. Nigerian officials stressed that terrorism targeting any religious community represents an affront to the country’s values, whether those attacks target Christians or Muslims.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged Nigeria’s cooperation and support in conducting the strikes, suggesting that ISIS had learned a painful lesson on Christmas. He indicated that more operations could follow, stating the Department of War remains ready for action. The Pentagon released video footage of the strikes showing missiles launching from naval vessels. While cooperating on security matters, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has emphasized that his country’s constitution protects all religious groups and that Nigeria maintains its commitment to religious tolerance despite the ongoing security challenges.