U.S. Launches Christmas Day Airstrikes on ISIS Targets in Nigeria After Trump's Announcement

December 26, 2025 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - President Donald J. Trump (R) used Christmas night to deliver one of the most consequential foreign‑policy announcements of his second term, revealing that U.S. forces had carried out what he described as "powerful and deadly" airstrikes against ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria. The strikes, conducted in coordination with the Nigerian government, marked a dramatic escalation in U.S. military involvement in West Africa and immediately reshaped the political and diplomatic landscape surrounding extremist violence in the region.

Trump made the announcement on Truth Social late Thursday evening, writing that the operation targeted ISIS fighters "who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!". He added that he had previously warned militants that continued attacks on Christian communities would trigger a forceful U.S. response. "Tonight, there was," he wrote, ending the message with a pointed holiday sign‑off: "May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists."

A Coordinated Strike After Weeks of Warnings

The airstrikes took place in Sokoto State, a region in Nigeria's northwest where ISIS‑affiliated militants have expanded operations in recent years. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that the mission was carried out at the direction of the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities. Video released by the Department of War showed at least one projectile - believed to be a Tomahawk cruise missile - launched from a U.S. Navy vessel positioned offshore.

The Nigerian government also confirmed its involvement, saying it had approved the operation and worked with U.S. officials to identify ISIS cells responsible for recent attacks. Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar emphasized that Nigeria's cooperation was intended to prevent unilateral U.S. action, something Trump had threatened weeks earlier if the Nigerian government did not take stronger steps against extremist violence.

Local media in Nigeria reported explosions in the village of Jabo on Christmas evening, though casualty numbers remain unconfirmed. Reuters and other international outlets have not yet independently verified the extent of the damage or the number of militants killed.

A Shift in U.S.–Nigeria Relations

The strikes represent a significant shift in the U.S. posture toward Nigeria, a country that has long resisted foreign military intervention on its soil. While the Nigerian government publicly framed the operation as a cooperative counterterrorism effort, analysts noted that Abuja's decision to participate may have been driven by a desire to avoid the political fallout of unilateral U.S. action - something that would have been deeply controversial in a nation sensitive to issues of sovereignty and foreign influence.

At the same time, Nigeria's leaders have been cautious about Trump's framing of the violence as primarily religious. While ISIS‑affiliated groups have targeted Christian communities, Nigerian officials have repeatedly warned that describing the conflict as a sectarian war risks inflaming tensions in a country with a long and fragile history of religious and ethnic division.

A Holiday Message With Global Impact

Trump's decision to announce the strikes on Christmas Day - and to frame them as a defense of persecuted Christians - was immediately seen as both a strategic and political choice. Supporters praised the president for acting decisively against ISIS militants and for highlighting the plight of Christian communities in West Africa. Critics, however, argued that the timing and tone of the announcement risked turning a complex regional conflict into a symbolic gesture aimed at his political base.

The president's language also drew attention. His reference to "dead Terrorists" in a Christmas message was widely circulated on social media and cable news, prompting debate about the blending of holiday rhetoric with military action. Trump has long used holidays to deliver forceful national‑security messages, but the Christmas Day announcement stood out for its bluntness and its framing of the strikes as both a moral and military victory.

What Comes Next

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signaled that the Christmas Day operation may not be the last. Speaking after the announcement, he warned that "more strikes" could follow if ISIS militants continue targeting Christian communities in the region. AFRICOM officials echoed that assessment, saying the U.S. remains prepared to conduct additional operations in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Security experts, however, cautioned that airstrikes alone are unlikely to significantly weaken ISIS‑affiliated groups in northwest Nigeria. These militants operate in remote, rural areas, often blending into local communities and shifting locations quickly. Without sustained ground operations - something neither the U.S. nor Nigeria has signaled - the long‑term impact of the strikes remains uncertain.

For now, the Christmas Day airstrikes mark one of the most dramatic U.S. military actions in West Africa in years. They also underscore the increasingly global scope of Trump's counterterrorism strategy, which has expanded beyond traditional hotspots in the Middle East to include emerging threats across the African continent.

As Nigeria assesses the aftermath and the U.S. signals readiness for further action, the world is left to absorb the implications of a holiday announcement that reverberated far beyond the season's usual messages of peace.