The Presidency on Wednesday said United States President Donald Trump has written personally to President Bola Tinubu to commend what he termed his “decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people.”
The US President also confirmed that he deployed US Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEAL Team 6, to train Nigeria’s military in the fight against terrorists.
According to a statement signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Trump disclosed in the letter that he had deployed US Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEAL Team 6, to train and support Nigeria’s military in the fight against terrorism.
He described the bilateral security partnership as historic.
The letter, dated July 6, 2026, publicly reveals for the first time Trump’s direct attribution of the deepening US military presence in Nigeria to what he described last October as the need to protect communities of faith, particularly Christian minorities, from jihadist violence.
In the letter, Trump wrote to Tinubu, “Dear Mr President, 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.
