'Merry Christmas to dead terrorists': Trump on ISIS strike, warns more to come

US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) commented on a US military strike against Islamic State (ISIS) targets in Nigeria, linking the operation to violence against Christians and warning that further action could follow.

The strike coincided with Christmas, a major religious festival for Christians.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said his administration would not tolerate attacks on Christians and that more US strikes would be launched if the violence continued. “Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” he wrote.

What did Trump say about the ISIS strike in Nigeria?

Trump said the strike was carried out on his orders as commander-in-chief. He claimed ISIS fighters in northwest Nigeria had been “viciously killing” people, “primarily innocent Christians,” and that the violence had reached levels not seen for many years.

“Tonight, at my direction, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorist scum in northwest Nigeria,” Trump wrote. He added that the US military executed the operation successfully, in a manner only the United States was “capable of doing”.

Trump said he had previously warned the militants to stop attacks on Christians or face serious consequences. “Tonight, there was hell to pay,” he said, adding that the strikes were carried out by the Department of War.

Will the US carry out more strikes against ISIS?

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth welcomed the strikes and indicated that further action could follow. In a post on X, he said Trump had made it clear last month that the killing of Christians in Nigeria and elsewhere must stop.

He said the Department of War was prepared to act and that ISIS “found out tonight — on Christmas”. Hegseth also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support during the operation.

Why has Nigeria featured in Trump’s warnings on Christians?

Last month, Trump warned that the US could halt aid to Nigeria if its government failed to prevent attacks on Christians. He also said Washington could take direct military action if the situation did not improve.

At the time, Trump said the Department of War was being instructed to prepare for possible action and urged the Nigerian authorities to act swiftly to stop what he described as “horrible atrocities”.