Former US President Donald Trump has declared that American forces carried out a series of "powerful and deadly" military strikes against ISIS militants in Northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day.
Christmas Day Military Action
The operation, which took place on the evening of Friday 26 December 2025, was ordered directly by Trump. He stated the action was a direct response to intelligence indicating that ISIS affiliates in the region were "targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians." In a characteristically blunt statement, Trump wished a "MERRY CHRISTMAS" to what he called the "dead terrorists."
This move follows a stark warning issued by the former president, who had previously threatened that if the "slaughtering of Christians" did not stop, there would be "hell to pay." Trump confirmed that the strikes were executed by what he referred to as the "Department of War," a historical term for the US Department of Defence.
Official Confirmation and Nigerian Support
The announcement was corroborated online by key figures in Trump's circle. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt both posted about the military action on social media. Notably, Hegseth expressed gratitude for the cooperation of the Nigerian government, stating it had provided support for the operation.
The situation in Nigeria's northwest is complex and long-standing. While Trump and some religious leaders frame the violence primarily as persecution of Christians, many regional experts and local residents present a different picture. They argue the instability and attacks by various armed groups, including ISIS-affiliated militants and others, inflict widespread suffering on all citizens regardless of their faith.
A Complex Conflict Landscape
The decision to launch strikes highlights the ongoing international concern over terrorist safe havens in the Sahel region. However, it also brings scrutiny to the US's military engagement strategy and the nuanced drivers of conflict in Nigeria, which often intertwine ethnic tensions, competition for resources, and criminality with religious ideology.
Key facts from the announcement include:
- Date: Christmas Day, 25 December 2025 (announced 26 December).
- Location: Northwest Nigeria.
- Target: ISIS terrorist infrastructure and personnel.
- US Figures Involved: Former President Donald Trump, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
- Stated Reason: Retaliation for ISIS attacks killing innocent Christians.
The long-term consequences of this military intervention, its effectiveness in degrading ISIS capabilities in the region, and its impact on the delicate security and political landscape of Nigeria remain to be seen.
