United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu for his leadership in confronting terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly efforts aimed at protecting Christian communities from violent attacks.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, addressed to President Tinubu and released on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the letter, Trump applauded Tinubu’s commitment to tackling the security challenges confronting Nigeria, describing his leadership as decisive and reassuring him of continued American support in the fight against terrorism.
According to Trump, he appreciated Tinubu’s message and commended his determination to restore peace and stability across the country, especially in areas affected by attacks on Christian communities.
The US President also described Nigeria as a key strategic partner, stressing that both countries share a common objective of eliminating terrorism and violent extremism across West Africa.
He noted that the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has strengthened bilateral efforts to combat terrorism through coordinated military and intelligence operations.
Trump further disclosed that the United States had deployed its elite Special Operations Forces to work alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces by providing specialised training, intelligence and operational support to enhance the country’s counterterrorism capabilities.
He expressed optimism that both nations would continue to deepen their collaboration throughout his administration.
The Presidency stated that security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States has expanded significantly in recent months through a Joint Working Group jointly led by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
According to the statement, the partnership has prioritised intelligence sharing, military training and coordinated operations against terrorist organisations.
It added that one of the major successes of the collaboration was the May 16 operation targeting ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, during which the group’s alleged leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his commanders were reportedly killed.
The Presidency also disclosed that the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, recently visited Abuja, where he met with senior Nigerian officials and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in security and other strategic sectors.
