The United States carried out an airstrike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of Nigeria's government, U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. military said on Thursday (December 25, 2025), claiming the group had been targeting Christians in the region.
"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!," Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump does not rule out any kind of Nigeria military operation
The U.S. military's Africa Command said on X the strike was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and killed multiple ISIS militants.
The strike comes after Mr. Trump starting in late October began warning that Christianity faces an "existential threat" in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.
