United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu for decisive leadership in tackling the violence affecting Christian communities in Nigeria, describing it as an honor to stand with him in the fight against terrorism.
In a letter dated July 6, 2026, Trump said the two countries share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism, pointing to a defence cooperation roadmap agreed between both nations in 2026 as a framework for progress. According to a statement from presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga, relations between the two countries have grown closer in recent times, with cooperation deepening particularly around security challenges facing parts of Nigeria.
In November of last year, Trump and Tinubu agreed to establish a Joint Working Group co-led by the national security advisers of both countries, through which they agreed on steps including training, intelligence sharing and joint operations against terrorist activity. A high point of that cooperation was a coordinated attack on May 16 against Islamic State hideouts in the Lake Chad area, which resulted in the death of the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al Minoki, along with several of his lieutenants.
Last week, US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja and met senior government officials, pledging to strengthen cooperation between Washington and Abuja on security and other matters.
In his letter, Trump said he applauds Tinubu’s resolve to tackle the violence affecting Christian communities and called the US Nigeria relationship crucial at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa and beyond. He said the United States has deployed its Special Operations Forces to help equip the Nigerian military with the skills and intelligence needed to protect citizens, particularly those of faith who have come under attack, and said he looks forward to continued discussions throughout his presidency.
