United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Tinubu for his leadership in tackling terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks affecting Christian communities.
Trump conveyed the commendation in a letter dated July 6, 2026, which was made public on Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In the letter, the US President thanked Tinubu for his earlier correspondence and praised his commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.
“I appreciate your decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people. I applaud your resolve to tackle the issues plaguing your nation, especially the violence affecting Christian communities. 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,” Trump wrote.
He described the US-Nigeria relationship as crucial at a time when conflict and terrorism continue to threaten West Africa and other parts of the world, noting that both countries share a common objective of confronting terrorism in all its forms.
According to Trump, the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has provided a strong framework for enhanced security collaboration between the two countries.
He added that the United States had deployed Special Operations Forces to train members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, providing them with skills, intelligence and operational support to strengthen the country’s counter-terrorism efforts and improve the protection of citizens.
“I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my presidency,” the US President stated.
Nigeria and the United States have strengthened security cooperation in recent months through a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries. The initiative focuses on intelligence sharing, military training and joint operations against terrorist groups.
One of the outcomes of the collaboration was the May 16 operation against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, during which the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his commanders were killed.
The renewed security partnership was further reinforced last week when the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja and met with senior Nigerian government officials to discuss expanded cooperation on security and other strategic areas.
