United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu for his leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks affecting Christian communities.
The commendation was contained in a letter dated July 6, 2026, which was made public by the Presidency through a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Trump Praises Tinubu’s LeadershipIn the letter, Trump commended Tinubu’s efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges, describing his leadership as decisive and expressing support for the country’s fight against terrorism.
He stated that the United States stands with Nigeria in combating terrorist groups and strengthening national security, adding that both countries share a common goal of defeating terrorism in all its forms.
Trump also described the Nigeria United States relationship as increasingly important as security challenges continue to affect West Africa and other parts of the world.
Defence Cooperation ExpandsThe US President highlighted ongoing defence cooperation between both countries under the US Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.
According to Trump, the United States has deployed Special Operations Forces to train and support the Nigerian Armed Forces with intelligence, equipment and specialised military skills aimed at improving counterterrorism operations.
He added that the partnership is helping Nigeria strengthen its capacity to protect citizens and improve national security.Joint Security Operations The Presidency said Nigeria and the United States have intensified security collaboration through a Joint Working Group led by the National Security Advisers of both countries.
The partnership focuses on intelligence sharing, military training and coordinated operations against terrorist organisations.
According to the statement, one recent operation targeted ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, where security forces reportedly eliminated senior terrorist commander Abubakar Al Minoki and several of his associates.
The Presidency also noted that US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, recently visited Abuja to discuss expanding cooperation in security and other strategic sectors.
