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United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks on Christian communities.
Trump conveyed the commendation in a letter dated July 6, 2026, to Tinubu, the details of which were made public on Wednesday in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the letter titled ‘President Trump lauds President Tinubu’s decisive leadership against terrorists’, Trump praised Tinubu’s efforts to address security challenges and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s fight against terrorism.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The statement said Trump described the relationship between both countries as crucial at a time when security challenges have spread across West Africa.
“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,” he said.
Trump also highlighted ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries, noting that the United States had deployed Special Operations Forces 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,” he stated.
According to the Presidency, Nigeria and the United States have strengthened security cooperation in recent months, following the establishment of a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
The statement added that the partnership has focused on training, intelligence sharing and joint operations against terrorist groups.
It also said one of the outcomes of the collaboration was the May 16 coordinated operation against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly resulted in the killing of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his lieutenants.
The Presidency further noted that the 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 areas.
