It Is A True Honour To Stand With You – Trump Praises Tinubu

 

Key Takeaways

• US President Donald Trump, in a July 6, 2026 letter, praised President Bola Tinubu for decisive leadership against terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria.
• Tinubu's spokesman Bayo Onanuga said Trump reaffirmed US support, citing the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap and deployment of US Special Operations Forces to train.
• The Presidency said a Joint Working Group delivered a May 16 Lake Chad operation that killed Abubakar Al-Minoki, as US official Frank Garcia visited Abuja to deepen ties.

United States President Donald Trump has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as decisive leadership in confronting terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, particularly violence affecting Christian communities.

Trump conveyed the commendation in a letter dated July 6, 2026, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

In the letter, Trump reportedly reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s campaign against terrorist organisations and strengthening security cooperation between both countries.

“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,” Trump wrote.

“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 US President described the relationship between Nigeria and the United States as vital amid the spread of armed conflicts and terrorist activities across West Africa and other parts of the world.

He said both countries shared the objective of confronting terrorism in all its forms.

“The United States-Nigeria relationship is crucial at a time when conflict has spread across West Africa and around the world,” Trump stated.

“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 also highlighted ongoing defence cooperation between both countries, saying US Special Operations Forces had been deployed to support and train personnel of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“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.

“I look forward to our continued discussions over the course of my Presidency.”

The Presidency said Nigeria and the United States had strengthened their security partnership in recent months through a Joint Working Group co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of both countries.

According to the statement, the partnership focuses on military training, intelligence sharing and coordinated operations against terrorist organisations.

It added that one of the outcomes of the collaboration was a May 16 coordinated operation against suspected Islamic State hideouts in the Lake Chad region.

The Presidency claimed that the operation resulted in the killing of a senior terrorist leader identified as Abubakar Al-Minoki and several of his lieutenants.

The statement also disclosed that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, visited Abuja last week and held talks with senior Nigerian government officials.

Garcia reportedly pledged to deepen cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in security and other areas of mutual interest.