BREAKING: President Trump says the U.S. launched airstrikes in Nigeria on Christmas night targeting ISIS militants he accused of killing Christians, calling the operation decisive and warning further attacks would follow if the violence continues. pic.twitter.com/1bSlmGSPYY
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 25, 2025
President Donald Trump ordered deadly US military strikes against ISIS terrorists in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day 2025, fulfilling his previous warnings to protect Christians and marking the first American military action in Nigeria under his administration.
.@POTUS “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and… pic.twitter.com/ct7rUW128t
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) December 26, 2025
Who Was Involved?
President Donald Trump ordered the strikes as Commander in Chief, directing US Africa Command to conduct the operation. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth oversaw the military execution, with the newly renamed Department of War carrying out what Trump called “numerous perfect strikes.”
The targets were Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists operating in northwestern Nigeria, specifically in Sokoto State near the Niger border. Nigerian authorities cooperated with the operation, with Daniel Bwala, special advisor to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, confirming that “The US and Nigeria are on the same page in the fight against terrorism.”
US Africa Command confirmed that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed in the coordinated strikes. Hegseth expressed gratitude, stating: “Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation. Merry Christmas!”
What Happened?
On Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, US military forces conducted airstrikes against ISIS terrorist positions in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria. Trump announced the operation via his Truth Social platform, declaring: “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries!”
US Africa Command issued a statement confirming the action: “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 strikes resulted in multiple terrorist casualties, though exact numbers were not disclosed. Trump characterized the operation as fulfilling a previous warning, stating: “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.”
When Did This Occur?
The military strikes took place on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, 2025, while Trump was spending the holiday at his Palm Beach estate. The operation came one day after a bomb attack on a mosque in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria, which killed five people and injured dozens in a suspected suicide bombing.
The strikes followed months of escalating rhetoric from Trump. In November, he had warned the US would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to protect Christians and instructed the Defense Department to “prepare for possible action.” On November 1, Trump posted on Truth Social about directing the War Department to prepare for possible action against “terrorist thugs” in Nigeria.
Where Did the Strikes Take Place?
The airstrikes targeted ISIS positions in Sokoto State, located in northwestern Nigeria along the border with Niger. This region has been plagued by violence from multiple armed militant groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with over 230 million people, has grappled for years with deep-rooted security problems across various regions. The violence stems from multiple factors including religiously motivated attacks, communal and ethnic tensions, and disputes between farmers and herders over limited natural resources.
Why Did Trump Order the Strikes?
Trump positioned the military action as protection for Nigeria’s Christian population, which he has claimed faces an “existential threat” and “genocide.” The president wrote: “Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”
In the fall, Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, suggesting his administration found that Nigeria had engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, (and) egregious violations of religious freedom.”
The president concluded his announcement with a stark warning: “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.”
The issue has been championed by American conservatives for years, with Trump allies including Sen. Ted Cruz calling for US intervention after claiming Nigeria’s government wasn’t doing enough to prevent attacks on Christians.
However, Nigeria’s government and independent analysts reject framing the country’s violence purely as religious persecution. Both Christians and Muslims—the two main religious groups in the country—have been victims of attacks by radical Islamists, according to experts and analysts. Many observers note that violent conflicts also arise from communal tensions and resource disputes rather than solely religious motivations.
How Was the Operation Executed?
Trump referred to the operation as executed by “The Department of War,” his administration’s renaming of the Department of Defense. He described them as “numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.”
The operation was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities, demonstrating coordination between the two governments. On Christmas Eve, President Tinubu had shared a message stating: “I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence.”
This marked the first US military action in Nigeria under Trump’s current administration, though he has conducted strikes in multiple other locations since taking office in January, including Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Syria, the Caribbean Sea, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Last week, Trump recalled more than two dozen ambassadors appointed by former President Joe Biden, including those posted to Nigeria and several other African countries, signaling a broader shift in American foreign policy approach to the continent.
The Broader Context
Despite Trump’s self-characterization as a peacemaker who vowed to limit US military intervention abroad, his return to power has seen significant military action. He has ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear program and overseen a massive military buildup around Venezuela with threats of strikes there as well.
The diplomatic offensive regarding Nigeria has been interpreted by some as inflaming religious tensions in a country that has experienced bouts of sectarian violence, though others welcome the attention to Christian persecution.
As CNN reached out to the White House and Nigerian government for additional comment, the Christmas Day strikes represent a dramatic escalation in US involvement in Nigeria’s complex security challenges, with Trump making clear that further action will follow if attacks on Christians continue.