United States President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that American forces had carried out deadly airstrikes against Islamic State terrorists operating in northwestern Nigeria. He warned that further attacks would follow if the group continued killing Christians.
In a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the strikes were executed by the Department of Defense and described them as highly successful.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in northwest Nigeria,” he wrote. “These terrorists have been targeting and brutally killing innocent Christians at levels not seen for many years, even centuries.
“I previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughter of Christians, there would be hell to pay. Tonight, that warning was carried out.”
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to prosper.
“May God bless our military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, said he was “grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation.”
He wrote, “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.
“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas.
“Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
US Africa Command said in an X post that it conducted a strike, which killed multiple ISIS terrorists in Sokoto State.
“At the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities, U.S. Africa Command conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria on Dec. 25, 2025, in Sokoto State,” the post read.
The airstrikes come one day after a bomb ripped through a mosque in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri, killing five people and injuring dozens, in a suspected suicide attack.
Last month, President Trump warned that he would cut off United States aid to Nigeria and take military action if the government failed to do more to stop Islamic extremists from killing Christians.
In a post on his Truth Social platform dated November 1, the president said he had directed the Department of War to “prepare for possible action” against what he described as “terrorist thugs” operating in Nigeria.
