United States President Donald Trump has hailed President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, especially attacks targeting Christian communities.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, which was made public on Wednesday in a statement issued by the Presidency through Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Trump praises Tinubu’s leadership
In the letter titled “President Trump Lauds President Tinubu’s Decisive Leadership Against Terrorists,” Trump praised Tinubu’s efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting the country’s fight against terrorism.
He wrote:
“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.
“I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities, and 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.”
US reaffirms security partnership
Trump described the relationship between the United States and Nigeria as crucial, particularly as security challenges continue to spread across West Africa.
He said:
“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.”
The US president also highlighted ongoing defence cooperation between both countries, noting that American Special Operations Forces had been deployed to support Nigeria’s military.
“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.
“I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.”
Presidency highlights joint operations
The Presidency said Nigeria and the United States have strengthened security cooperation in recent months through a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
It added that the partnership has focused on intelligence sharing, military training and joint operations against terrorist groups.
According to the statement, one of the major outcomes of the collaboration was the coordinated operation carried out on May 16 against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly led to the killing of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, along with several of his lieutenants.
The Presidency also noted that US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he met with senior Nigerian government officials and pledged to deepen cooperation between both countries in security and other strategic areas.
