Trump News at a Glance: Nigeria Says It Provided Intelligence for US Airstrikes as Hegseth Warns of More Attacks

In a dramatic turn of events over the Christmas weekend, the United States launched airstrikes against Islamic State-linked militants in northwest Nigeria, a move confirmed by both Washington and Abuja and described as part of a collaborative counterterrorism effort. Nigerian officials acknowledged they provided intelligence ahead of the strikes, signaling deeper security cooperation between the African nation and the U.S. amid rising global concerns about terrorism and regional instability. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that more strikes could follow, raising complex questions about foreign policy, national sovereignty, and the framing of Nigeria’s internal conflicts. �

The Guardian +1

The Airstrikes and Intelligence Sharing

On Christmas Day 2025, U.S. military forces executed airstrikes targeting Islamic State (ISIS) militants in Sokoto State in northwest Nigeria. The operation was publicly announced by President Donald Trump, who described the action on social media as a “powerful and deadly strike” against militants he accused of targeting Christians. �

Reuters +1

Significantly, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar confirmed that Nigerian authorities had supplied the intelligence used to guide the strikes. According to Tuggar, he spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ahead of the operation, sought approval from Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, and coordinated closely with Washington right up until the moment the air raids were launched. �

The Telegraph Nigeria

Tuggar emphasized that the action was not focused on any religious community, “It is to do with attacking terrorists who have been killing Nigerians,” he said, underscoring Nigeria’s multi-religious makeup and its interest in combating violent extremism regardless of faith. �

Sahara Reporters

Why Now? Trump’s Rationale

The strikes come after weeks of heightened rhetoric from President Trump, who had repeatedly claimed that Nigeria was failing to protect its Christian population from Islamist violence. Trump criticized the situation publicly and even designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” due to alleged religious persecution — a move that drew significant attention and controversy. �

The Telegraph Nigeria

In his Christmas announcement, Trump framed the airstrikes squarely within this narrative, stating the operation was aimed at extremists who had been “viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” Yet analysts and local sources have pointed out that Nigeria’s security crisis is deeply complex, affecting both Christians and Muslims alike, with multiple militant and criminal groups operating across different regions of the country. �

ABC7 Los Angeles

Hegseth’s Warning: “More to Come”

Following the strikes, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took to social media to signal that the operation might be only the beginning. In a message posted in the aftermath, he wrote that the U.S. military is “always ready” and that “more to come…” should militants continue their activities. �

Al Jazeera

This comment marks a notable escalation in U.S. policy — signaling a willingness to carry out additional military action on foreign soil in coordination with partner governments. Hegseth’s language echoes Trump’s aggressive framing of the issue and suggests that Washington views ongoing militant threats in Nigeria not just as a regional problem but as part of a broader international security challenge.

Nigeria’s Response and Sovereignty Concerns

While Nigerian officials were transparent about their role, the strikes have stirred debate within Nigeria about sovereignty and transparency. Some residents in Sokoto State reported powerful explosions and a night sky lit up by missile fire, which, although not causing reported civilian casualties, left many villagers shaken and anxious about future operations. �

AP News

Analysts have also questioned the choice of target locations, noting that Sokoto State — predominantly Muslim and not traditionally a hotbed of Islamist insurgency — seemed an unusual choice compared with northeast regions long afflicted by groups like Boko Haram. Critics have called for more clarity on how targets were selected and whether the intelligence truly reflected the militant threat on the ground. �

Financial Times

A Complex Security Landscape

Nigeria’s security issues are not limited to a single group or region. The country has long battled diverse insurgent organizations, including Boko Haram and affiliates of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), as well as criminal “bandit” gangs responsible for kidnappings and massacres in remote communities. Violence has affected both Muslim and Christian populations, with root causes tied to poverty, governance failures, and competition over land and resources — not solely religious identity. �

Al Jazeera

This complexity has made external intervention and international narratives particularly sensitive. While the Nigerian government insists the cooperation with the U.S. serves mutual interests, some critics worry that oversimplified portrayals of religious persecution may obscure the real drivers of insecurity or justify disproportionate foreign military involvement.

Implications for U.S.–Nigeria Relations

The collaboration reflected in the Christmas Day strikes signals a new phase in U.S.–Nigeria security relations. For Washington, this cooperation may provide an opportunity to project power and protect perceived strategic interests abroad. For Abuja, partnering with a global military power could help in tackling entrenched insurgencies that its own forces have struggled to contain.

Yet, this alliance also raises questions about long-term security strategy and domestic perceptions. Nigerians balancing fears of militant violence with concerns about national sovereignty may scrutinize how much influence foreign governments — even allies — should have over operations conducted within their borders.

Looking Ahead

As defense officials in Washington hint at “more to come”, and as Nigerian authorities describe the airstrikes as part of “joint ongoing operations,” the international community will watch closely how this cooperation evolves — and whether it delivers meaningful reductions in extremist violence without undermining Nigeria’s autonomy or stability. �

The Guardian

Ultimately, the story of intelligence sharing and joint strikes captures a pivotal moment where foreign policy, national security, and international cooperation intersect in an increasingly volatile global landscape. It is a narrative that will likely unfold further in the coming months, with implications reaching far beyond Sokoto State and into broader debates about how nations confront terrorism in the 21st century.

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