By Our Reporter
United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu’s determination to confront Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the violence targeting Christian communities, describing it as “a true honor” to support his administration’s fight against terrorism. In a July 6, 2026 letter to Tinubu, Trump said he applauded the Nigerian leader’s “resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation,” adding that the US-Nigeria partnership remains critical as insecurity spreads across West Africa.
“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world,” Trump wrote. He said both countries share “a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms,” noting that the 2026 US-Nigeria Defence Cooperation Roadmap has strengthened collaboration through intelligence sharing, military training and joint operations. Trump added that the deployment of US Special Operations Forces was aimed at equipping Nigerian troops “with the skills, tools and intelligence they need to protect your homeland.”
The renewed show of support comes days after US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja and pledged Washington’s commitment to deepening cooperation with the Tinubu administration on security and other strategic areas. The growing partnership follows the establishment of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group last year and has already yielded results, including the coordinated May 16 operation in the Lake Chad region that reportedly eliminated ISIS commander Abubakar Al-Minoki and several of his lieutenants.