Trump Fulfills Genocide Warning: US Strikes ISIS in Northwest Nigeria

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he had authorized strikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria, describing them as “terrorist scum” responsible for attacks on Christian populations. The operation fulfilled the president’s warnings about responding to what he characterized as potential genocide.
The strikes came after Trump issued warnings in October and November characterizing violence against Nigerian Christians as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal levels. The president had explicitly threatened military intervention if attacks persisted, warnings that have now been backed by concrete military action conducted on Christmas Day.
Trump’s announcement detailed that the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants who had been systematically killing innocent Christians. He emphasized that only the United States possesses such military capabilities and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to preventing radical Islamic terrorism from flourishing.
The Nigerian Foreign Ministry confirmed the military action as part of ongoing security cooperation between the two countries. This collaboration involves intelligence sharing and strategic coordination to combat terrorism and violent extremism. Nigerian officials made clear that their government opposes terrorist violence against all religious communities, whether Christian or Muslim.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed gratitude to Nigeria for enabling the strikes and suggested that more operations might follow. He noted that Trump had been clear about his intentions and that ISIS had learned consequences on Christmas. The Pentagon released video footage showing weaponry being deployed from warships. While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has cooperated with the security operation, he has also stressed that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths.