“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians… Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all…” – President Donald J. Trump

Here’s a fuller, factual breakdown of the quote you shared and the situation it refers to:
🗓 What Happened
On Christmas Day (December 25, 2025), U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States military carried out airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) militant targets in northwest Nigeria. He made the statement you quoted on his social media platform Truth Social, asserting that the strikes were in response to militant attacks on “primarily, innocent Christians” in the region. �
Reuters
📍 Where the Strikes Took Place
The strikes occurred in northwest Nigeria, specifically Sokoto State, which borders Niger and has seen activity from extremist groups including the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). �
Reuters
🎯 U.S. Military and Nigerian Government Roles
U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the strikes, saying they were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities. �
Reuters
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the operation as part of ongoing security cooperation, including joint intelligence-sharing and strategic coordination against militant groups. �
Reuters
🧨 What Was Targeted
According to U.S. officials, the focus was on ISIS-linked militant positions, and the strikes killed multiple ISIS militants. Trump described them as “powerful and deadly strikes” and framed the action as a response to militant violence. �
Reuters
🪖 Why the U.S. Acted
President Trump asserted:
That ISIS militants had been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians … at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries.” �
Reuters
That he had previously warned the militants that there would be consequences if the violence didn’t stop. �
Reuters
The White House has not publicly detailed specific casualty figures, exact targets, or wider operational plans beyond official statements. �
ABC30 Fresno
🧭 Context: U.S.–Nigeria Security Situation
In recent months, the Trump administration designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under U.S. religious freedom policy and warned of consequences over what it characterized as persecution of Christians. �
Wikipedia
Nigeria’s government maintains that violent extremist groups target both Christians and Muslims, and that the conflict in the country involves multiple armed actors and complex social-economic issues, not solely religious persecution. �
Wikipedia
🪖 U.S. Official Messaging
In his message, Trump also said:
The U.S. would not allow “Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”