United States President Donald Trump has confirmed that U.S. forces carried out airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in northwestern Nigeria, describing the operation as “powerful and deadly” and linking it to earlier warnings over attacks on Christians in the country.
According to Trump, the strikes took place on Christmas Day and targeted ISIS positions in Sokoto State. The operation was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The U.S. Department of Defense said the strikes resulted in the deaths of “multiple ISIS terrorists,” but did not disclose further operational details.
In a separate message, Trump praised the U.S.
military and reiterated his hardline stance. “May God Bless our Military,” he wrote, adding, “MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter. “At the request of Nigerian authorities, U.S. Africa Command conducted a strike in Sokoto State, killing multiple ISIS terrorists,” the command said.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth also acknowledged the operation, applauding the military’s readiness and cooperation with Abuja. He said he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.”
The strikes mark the first known U.S. military action in Nigeria under Trump’s current administration. They come months after the Republican leader publicly criticized Nigeria in October and November, claiming Christians in the country faced an “existential threat” that amounted to “genocide.” While some observers welcomed Washington’s diplomatic and military posture, others warned that framing Nigeria’s security challenges primarily through a religious lens could inflame tensions in Africa’s most populous nation, which has a history of sectarian violence.
Nigeria’s government and several independent analysts have consistently rejected claims that the country’s insecurity is driven mainly by religious persecution, arguing instead that it is rooted in complex factors such as terrorism, banditry, poverty, and governance challenges.
Nevertheless, Trump has continued to spotlight what his administration describes as global persecution of Christians, insisting that the United States is prepared to take military action where necessary.
Earlier this year, Washington placed Nigeria back on its list of countries of “particular concern” over religious freedom and imposed restrictions on the issuance of visas to Nigerian citizens, further straining diplomatic relations between the two countries.
