United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his strong leadership in confronting terrorism and addressing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, addressed to Tinubu and made public on Wednesday through a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
According to the statement, Trump acknowledged Tinubu’s commitment to improving security and reaffirmed the United States’ readiness to continue supporting Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism.
In the letter titled “President Trump lauds President Tinubu’s decisive leadership against terrorists,” the US President expressed appreciation for Tinubu’s message to him and commended the Nigerian leader’s resolve to tackle the country’s security challenges.
“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,” Trump wrote.
He further praised Tinubu’s determination to protect vulnerable communities from violent attacks.
“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,” the letter stated.
Trump highlights strategic partnership
Trump described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as <a href="https://absafricatv.com/europes-gas-storage-target-looks-increasingly-unrealistic-equinor-ceo-says/” title=”Europe's gas storage target looks increasingly unrealistic, Equinor CEO says”>increasingly important, particularly as security threats continue to spread across West Africa.
He said both countries remain united by a common objective of defeating terrorism in all its forms and pointed to the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap as a key framework guiding bilateral security collaboration.
“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 stated.
The American leader also disclosed that the United States had deployed Special Operations Forces to assist Nigeria’s military through advanced training, intelligence sharing and operational support.
According to Trump, the deployment is aimed at strengthening the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria to defend the country, dismantle terrorist networks and protect civilians, particularly communities that have come under repeated attacks.
“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,” he said.
Trump added that he looked forward to maintaining close engagement with Tinubu throughout his presidency.
Presidency outlines security gains
The Presidency said Nigeria and the United States have significantly deepened their security partnership in recent months following the establishment of a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
According to the statement, the partnership focuses on military training, intelligence sharing, operational coordination and other measures designed to weaken terrorist organisations operating across the region.
It added that one of the major achievements of the collaboration was the coordinated operation carried out on May 16 against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region.
The operation reportedly led to the killing of ISIS commander Abubakar Al-Minoki and several senior members of the terrorist group.
The Presidency also disclosed that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he met with senior Nigerian officials and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Nigeria in security, defence and other strategic sectors.
The statement noted that both countries remain committed to expanding collaboration to address emerging security threats, improve regional stability and enhance the capacity of Nigerian security agencies to combat terrorism and violent extremism.
