United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his decisive leadership in confronting terrorism and addressing insecurity in Nigeria, particularly attacks targeting Christian communities.
In a letter addressed to President Tinubu, Trump reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to deepening security cooperation with Nigeria, describing the bilateral relationship as critical to combating terrorism and promoting stability across West Africa.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said Trump praised Tinubu’s determination to confront the security challenges facing the country and pledged continued American support for Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
According to the letter dated July 6, 2026, the US President expressed appreciation for Tinubu’s leadership, stating: “Thank you for your thoughtful letter. Your kind words mean a great deal to me, and 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.”
Trump added that it was “a true honour” to stand with President Tinubu in the fight against terrorists and in efforts to build a stronger and more prosperous Nigeria.
He noted that the United States and Nigeria share a common objective of confronting terrorism in all its forms, saying the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has created a solid framework for enhanced collaboration between the two countries.
The US President also disclosed that Washington had deployed its Special Operations Forces to train and support the Armed Forces of Nigeria with advanced skills, intelligence and operational tools aimed at strengthening the country’s security architecture and protecting vulnerable communities.
According to the statement, security cooperation between both countries has intensified in recent months. In November last year, President Trump and President Tinubu agreed to establish a Joint Working Group, jointly led by the National Security Advisers of both countries, to coordinate intelligence sharing, training and joint counter-terrorism operations.
One of the major outcomes of the collaboration was the coordinated operation carried out on May 16 against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, during which the terrorist group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his commanders were killed.
The statement also recalled that the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week, where he met with senior Nigerian government officials and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in security and other strategic areas.
Trump expressed optimism about sustaining close engagement with President Tinubu throughout his administration, saying he looked forward to continued discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and advancing shared security objectives.
