United States President Donald Trump has revealed that the American government worked closely with Nigeria to carry out the Christmas Day air strikes against ISIS terrorists in Sokoto State.
Trump disclosed on Thursday while speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C, where he addressed political, religious and civic leaders from different parts of the world.
According to the US president, the strikes were authorised to “decimate the ISIS terrorists who have been slaughtering Christians in that country by the thousands.”
Explaining the decision behind the operation, Trump said the action was taken in direct coordination with Nigerian authorities.
“On Christmas Day in close coordination with the government of Nigeria, we worked with them, but they’ve got to get tougher,” he said.
“I ordered powerful air strikes to decimate the ISIS terrorists who have been slaughtering Christians in that country by the thousands. It’s not even believable.
“We hit them so hard they still don’t know what the hell happened. And we were going to do it on a different day. I said no, do it on Christmas. So they understand it.”
Trump further linked the timing of the operation to his long-standing emphasis on the significance of Christmas, recalling his 2015 presidential campaign.
“Remember, Christmas was when I ran in 2015. When I announced, I said we’re going to bring back Christmas because the word Christmas was almost gone and people didn’t use Christmas anymore.
“We brought back the word Christmas. They didn’t want to use it, and we’re using it again.”
He added that he personally gave clear instructions to ensure the strikes were executed specifically on Christmas Day.
“I specifically told Pete, I said hit them on Christmas Day, not earlier and not later. And man, did he hit them. So then we hit them again recently. We hit them again pretty hard,” Trump stated.
Trump had earlier announced on December 26 that the United States had launched what he described as “powerful and deadly” air strikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria on December 25, warning the group to halt attacks on Christians in the country.
At the time, the US Department of Defense confirmed that “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed in the operation, which it said was carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was among the international guests at the prayer breakfast.
During his address, Trump praised Mrs Tinubu, referring to her as a “very respected woman,” remarks that drew applause from the audience.
He also acknowledged her background in Christian ministry, noting her role as a pastor in one of Nigeria’s largest churches.
“We are honoured to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria—a very respected woman. Thank you very much, it’s a great honour, a very respected person too,” Trump said.
The recognition placed the Nigerian First Lady among notable global faith figures at the annual event, which brings together members of the US Congress, religious leaders and international guests for prayers and discussions on leadership, governance and national values.
What you should know
The Christmas Day air strikes in Sokoto marked a rare public confirmation of direct US–Nigeria military coordination against ISIS-linked militants operating in northwestern Nigeria.
While Nigerian authorities had earlier acknowledged foreign support in counterterrorism efforts, Trump’s remarks provided explicit details on timing, intent and presidential approval. The disclosure has renewed debate around Nigeria’s security partnerships, the scope of US involvement, and the broader challenge of tackling extremist violence.
It also highlights the international attention on attacks against civilians and religious communities, as Nigeria continues to balance sovereignty with foreign military assistance.
