US President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his “decisive leadership” in tackling terrorism and other security challenges in Nigeria.
Trump made the commendation in a letter dated July 6 and addressed to Tinubu, according to a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, on Wednesday.
The US president said he appreciated Tinubu’s “decisive leadership on behalf of the Nigerian people” and applauded his resolve to tackle the issues affecting Nigeria, “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,” the letter reads.
He said the relationship between Nigeria and the US was crucial at a time conflict had spread across West Africa and other parts of 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,” Trump said.
The US president also said he had deployed US Special Operations Forces to train and equip Nigerian military personnel.
“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,” he said.
Trump added that he looked forward to continued discussions with Tinubu during his presidency.
The US-Nigeria relationship has strengthened in recent months, with both countries working closely on security challenges affecting parts of Nigeria.
In November 2025, Trump and Tinubu agreed to establish a joint working group co-headed by the national security advisers of both countries.
Through the group, Nigeria and the US agreed on measures including training, intelligence sharing and joint operations to combat terrorist activities.
A major highlight of the cooperation was the May 16 coordinated attack on ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad area, which reportedly killed the group’s top leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his lieutenants.
Last week, Frank Garcia, US assistant secretary of state for Africa, visited Abuja, where he held meetings with senior government officials and pledged to strengthen security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.
