THE Presidency has released the text of a letter from United States President Donald Trump to President Bola Tinubu, in which the American leader commended Tinubu’s leadership and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening security cooperation with Nigeria.
According to a statement issued today by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Trump commended Tinubu’s efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the violence affecting Christian communities.
In the letter dated July 6, 2026, Trump expressed appreciation for Tinubu’s leadership, describing it as decisive and beneficial to the Nigerian people.
He also lauded the Nigerian President’s determination to combat terrorism and pledged continued collaboration between both countries.
Trump stated that it was an honour for the United States to support Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and in efforts to build a safer and more prosperous nation.
The US President also highlighted the deployment of American Special Operations Forces to train members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
According to him, the initiative is aimed at providing Nigerian troops with the skills, intelligence, and operational tools needed to improve national security and protect citizens.
He noted that the partnership between Nigeria and the United States has become increasingly important as security challenges continue to affect West Africa and other parts of the world.
Trump further referenced the US-Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap, describing it as a framework that strengthens joint efforts against terrorism through military cooperation, intelligence sharing, and security assistance.
The Presidency also noted that Nigeria and the United States have expanded bilateral cooperation in recent months, particularly in tackling insecurity.
As part of this collaboration, both countries established a Joint Working Group, co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States, to coordinate security efforts, including intelligence sharing, military training, and joint operations.
According to the statement, one of the outcomes of the partnership was the coordinated operation carried out on May 16 against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, which reportedly resulted in the death of senior terrorist commander Abubakar Al-Minoki and several of his associates.
The Presidency also recalled the recent visit of the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, to Abuja, where he met with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other senior government officials to reaffirm Washington’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with Nigeria in security and other strategic sectors.
