On the evening of December 25, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that he had authorized a series of “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Northwest Nigeria.
In a statement released via Truth Social, the President characterized the operation as a direct response to the escalating persecution and “slaughter” of the country’s Christian population. Trump framed the military action as a fulfillment of previous warnings, asserting that the “Department of War” executed “numerous perfect strikes” to ensure that radical Islamic terrorism would not prosper under his leadership.
The strikes follow months of heightening rhetoric from the White House regarding the security situation in Africa’s most populous nation. In November 2025, the President had instructed the Secretary of Defense to prepare for military intervention, warning that the United States would enter the region “guns-a-blazing” if the violence against Christians did not cease.
While the President concluded his announcement with a “Merry Christmas” message to the military and the American public, the unilateral nature of the strike has raised immediate questions regarding coordination with the Nigerian government and the potential for broader regional instability.
While the White House has yet to provide specific details on the number of casualties or the exact locations targeted, the Pentagon confirmed that the operation involved high-precision assets. This intervention marks a significant shift in U.S. policy toward the Sahel and West Africa, moving from a supportive advisory role to direct kinetic engagement.
International observers are now closely monitoring the reaction from the Nigerian administration in Abuja, as well as the potential impact on the complex internal conflict between various extremist groups and the Nigerian state.
