US President Donald Trump revealed on Thursday that he had authorized strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria, describing them as “terrorist scum” attacking Christian communities. The military action demonstrates the administration’s willingness to act on its previous warnings regarding religious persecution.
The operation came after Trump issued multiple warnings to terrorist groups in October and November, during which he characterized the violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” and potential “genocide.” The president had made clear that continued attacks would provoke American military intervention, a threat that has now been realized.
Trump’s announcement detailed that the strikes specifically targeted militants engaged in what he described as the vicious killing of primarily innocent Christians. The president praised the Department of War’s execution of “numerous perfect strikes” and emphasized his administration’s stance that radical Islamic terrorism would not be permitted to prosper. The choice to conduct the strikes on Christmas added symbolic weight to the operation.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the strikes were carried out with Nigerian cooperation as part of established security arrangements between the two nations. The partnership involves sharing intelligence and coordinating strategies to combat militant groups operating in the region. The ministry stressed that Nigeria opposes terrorist violence against all religious communities, viewing such attacks as fundamentally inconsistent with national values.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly acknowledged Nigeria’s support and cooperation, indicating that Trump had been clear about his intentions to end the killing of innocent Christians. He suggested more operations could follow, noting that “ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas.” The Pentagon released video evidence of the strikes showing projectiles launching from warships. Nigerian President Bola Ahmed, while participating in the security cooperation, has maintained that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that the country rejects characterizations of religious intolerance.