United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu’s leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly efforts aimed at protecting Christian communities affected by attacks.
Trump conveyed the commendation in a letter dated July 6, 2026, addressed to Tinubu, details of which were released on Wednesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The letter, titled ‘President Trump lauds President Tinubu’s decisive leadership against terrorists’, highlighted the growing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
In the letter, Trump expressed appreciation for Tinubu’s leadership and reaffirmed Washington’s 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.
Trump described the relationship between both countries as vital amid growing security threats across West Africa and other parts of the world.
“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.
The US President also highlighted Washington’s military support for Nigeria, noting the deployment of Special Operations Forces to assist the Nigerian military with training, intelligence and operational capabilities.
“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 US have deepened security collaboration through a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
The partnership has focused on intelligence sharing, military training and coordinated operations against terrorist groups.
The Presidency said one of the major outcomes of the cooperation was the May 16 joint operation against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly led to the killing of the group’s leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, alongside several commanders.
It added that US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, recently visited Abuja, where he held meetings with senior Nigerian officials and pledged stronger cooperation between both countries in security and other areas.
