President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that American forces had conducted strikes against ISIS positions in northwest Nigeria, targeting militants the president called “terrorist scum” attacking Christian communities. The operation represented a direct US military intervention to protect religious minorities from terrorism.
The strikes followed Trump’s warnings issued in October and November when he characterized violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal proportions. The president had made explicit threats of military intervention if attacks continued, warnings that have now been backed by concrete action conducted on Christmas Day.
Trump detailed that the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants who had been systematically killing innocent Christians. He emphasized that only the United States possesses such military capabilities and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preventing radical Islamic terrorism from flourishing.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the operation as part of established security cooperation between the two nations. The partnership includes intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to combat terrorism and violent extremism. Nigerian officials stressed that their government opposes terrorist violence against all religious communities, whether Christian or Muslim.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation and indicated that additional operations could follow. He referenced Trump’s previous clear warnings about protecting Christians. The Pentagon released video footage showing missiles launching from warships. While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has cooperated with the security operation, he has also maintained that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that characterizations of religious intolerance do not accurately represent the nation’s commitment to protecting all religious groups.