The United States military has carried out its first offensive operation in Nigeria under President Donald Trump, striking Islamic State militants in Sokoto State after what Washington described as a request from Nigerian authorities.
Trump announced the operation on his Truth Social platform late Thursday, declaring that U.S. forces delivered “powerful and deadly” action against ISIS fighters responsible for attacks in northwestern Nigeria.
“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 wrote, praising U.S. troops and adding, “MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists.”
The Pentagon confirmed the strike, saying it killed “multiple ISIS terrorists,” though it provided no further operational details. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) also confirmed the mission in a post on X, citing the strike was conducted “at the request of Nigerian authorities” and targeted militants in Sokoto State.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has taken a combative line on global counterterrorism operations, celebrated the strike online, saying he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation.”
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The operation marks a dramatic escalation in Trump’s engagement with Nigeria. Earlier this year, the White House placed Nigeria back on a U.S. list of countries of “particular concern” over religious freedom and introduced new visa restrictions for Nigerians.
Trump has repeatedly accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians, describing the situation as “genocide” and warning that Washington could intervene militarily. Those remarks were welcomed by some U.S. conservatives but criticized by analysts who say framing Nigeria’s insecurity as religious persecution risks inflaming tensions.
Nigeria’s government and security experts argue the violence—driven by jihadist insurgencies, armed banditry, and criminal gangs—cannot be reduced to a religious conflict.
