United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in confronting terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, the details of which were made public on Wednesday through a statement issued by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the letter, titled “President Trump Lauds President Tinubu’s Decisive Leadership Against Terrorists,” Trump praised Tinubu’s efforts to strengthen national security and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
“Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people,” Trump wrote.
He added, “I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities. It is a true honour to stand with you in the fight against terrorists and to make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger and more prosperous.”
Trump described the Nigeria–United States partnership as increasingly important amid growing security threats across West Africa, stressing that both nations share a common commitment to combating terrorism.
“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world. We both share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms, and our historic US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has established a robust framework to accomplish this feat,” he stated.
The US President also highlighted ongoing military cooperation between both countries, revealing that the United States has deployed Special Operations Forces to train and support the Nigerian Armed Forces.
“I am proud to have deployed the United States Special Operations Forces—among the most elite military units anywhere in the world—to equip the brave men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria with the skills, tools and intelligence they need to protect your homeland and ensure the safety and security of citizens, particularly those of faith who have been under attack,” Trump said.
He expressed optimism about sustaining the collaboration, adding, “I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.”
According to the Presidency, security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has intensified in recent months following the establishment of a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
The partnership is focused on intelligence sharing, specialised military training and joint counterterrorism operations.
One of its key achievements, the statement noted, was the coordinated operation carried out on May 16 against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region. The operation reportedly led to the killing of ISIS commander Abubakar Al-Minoki and several of his top lieutenants.
The Presidency also disclosed that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he met with senior Nigerian officials and pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation on security and other strategic areas.
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