Key Takeaways
- The US has carried out Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria, with the cooperation of the Nigerian government.
- The strikes have been praised by Donald Trump supporters, who have been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country.
- The US government has been under pressure to act in Nigeria since July, when the US Commission on International Religious Freedom issued an advisory highlighting the persecution of Christians in the country.
- Republican lawmakers have praised Trump for carrying out the strikes, saying they will save lives and protect religious freedom.
- The strikes come less than a week after the US hit Islamic State networks and infrastructure in Syria in response to an attack that killed American military service members.
Introduction to the US Strikes in Nigeria
The US’s Christmas Day strikes against Islamic State targets in Nigeria have been met with praise from Donald Trump supporters who have been agitating for the president to respond forcefully to the killings of Christians in the country. The strikes, which were carried out with the cooperation of the Nigerian government, have been seen as a significant move by the Trump administration to address the growing concern of Christian persecution in Nigeria. Far-right political activist Laura Loomer posted on X, "I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Christmas than by avenging the death of Christians through the justified mass killing of Islamic terrorists." Loomer claimed that she had been informed by the US defense department that the strikes were a direct response to the killing of Christians in Nigeria by Islamic State jihadi terrorists.
Republican Response to the Strikes
The uniformity of the Republicans’ response to the strikes is notable, with many lawmakers praising Trump for taking decisive action to protect Christians in Nigeria. US House member Randy Fine, a Florida Republican, described the strikes as an "amazing Christmas present!" Fine, who had previously supported a congressional resolution calling for Nigeria to be designated a "country of particular concern" due to its religious violence, said that the president is showing that the US will no longer tolerate attacks on Christians by Muslim terrorists. Other Republican lawmakers, including North Carolina senator Ted Budd and Congressman Bill Huizenga, also praised Trump for carrying out the strikes, saying they will save lives and protect religious freedom.
Background to the Strikes
The strikes come after months of pressure on the Trump administration to act in Nigeria, where attacks on Christians by Islamic extremist groups such as Boko Haram have been drawing increased attention from US Christian groups. In July, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom issued an advisory that said the Nigerian government was "often unable to prevent or slow to react to violent attacks by Fulani herders, bandit gangs, and insurgent entities such as JAS/Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP)". Since then, Republican lawmakers such as Ted Cruz have been calling for the US to take action to address the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Cruz said that since 2009, "over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been massacred, and over 18,000 churches and 2,000 Christian schools have been destroyed".
International Context
The strikes in Nigeria are part of a broader effort by the US to combat Islamic State targets in the region. Less than a week ago, the US hit more than 70 Islamic State networks and infrastructure in Syria in response to an attack that killed two American military service members and a civilian. Adm Brad Cooper, commander of the American military’s Central Command (Centcom), said that the Syrian strikes were "critical to preventing [IS] from inspiring terrorist plots and attacks against the US homeland". The US has also been involved in a campaign of economic pressure and airstrikes on alleged drug boats in Venezuela, in an effort to oust President Nicolás Maduro. However, some Republicans have warned that the history of US "regime change" efforts is not promising and have cautioned against direct military strikes on Venezuela.
Conclusion and Future Developments
The US strikes in Nigeria mark a significant escalation of the country’s military involvement in the region. Trump told Politico that the Christmas strike was originally planned for Wednesday but was delayed until Thursday for symbolic reasons. The president said, "I said, ‘Nope, let’s give a Christmas present,’" and added that "they didn’t think that was coming, but we hit them hard. Every camp got decimated." Hegseth warned of additional US strikes against IS targets in northern Nigeria, saying that the US will continue to take action to protect Christians and other minorities in the region. As the situation in Nigeria continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the US will balance its military involvement in the region with its broader goals of promoting stability and security.
