By United States President Donald Trump has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his handling of Nigeria’s security challenges and the violence against Christian communities, in a letter released by the Presidency on Wednesday, 22nd of July, 2026
The letter dated July 6, 2026, was made public in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Trump lauded Tinubu’s “decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people” and said it was “a true honour” to stand with him in the fight against terrorism.
He described the US–Nigeria relationship as crucial “at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa,” and said he had deployed US Special Operations Forces to train and equip the Nigerian military under what he called a historic US–Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap.
The warm tone follows months of friction. In late 2025, Trump designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” threatened to cut US aid and floated possible military action over what he called the killing of Christians, a framing Tinubu’s government rejected at the time, with Onanuga himself dismissing claims of mass killings of Christians as a “gross exaggeration.”
According to the Presidency, the two governments established a Joint Working Group in November 2025, co-chaired by their national security advisers, leading to intelligence sharing, training and joint operations. The next meeting is expected in Washington in August. The US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja this month and pledged to deepen security cooperation.
Full text of the letter, as released by the Presidency
Dear Mr President,
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, and 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.
The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world. We both share a mutual goal of confronting terrorism in all its forms, and our historic US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap has established a robust framework to accomplish this feat.
I am proud to have deployed the United States Special Operations Forces – among the most elite military units anywhere in the world – to equip the brave men and women in the Armed Forces of Nigeria with the skills, tools and intelligence they need to protect your homeland and ensure the safety and security of citizens, particularly those of faith who have been under attack. I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Trump
President of the United States of America
