‘I Appreciate Your Decisive Leadership,’ Presidency Reveals Trump’s Letter to Tinubu
Adedokun Waliyu
2 min read
The Presidency has released the full text of a letter sent by United States President Donald Trump to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in which the American leader commended Tinubu’s leadership and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to strengthening security cooperation with Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Trump praised Tinubu’s determination to address Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the violence affecting Christian communities.
In the letter, Trump described it as an honour to support Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and in efforts to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.
He also said he was proud to have deployed United States Special Operations Forces to train and equip members of the Nigerian Armed Forces with the skills, intelligence and tools needed to combat terrorism and improve national security.
Trump stated that the United States–Nigeria relationship remains vital at a time when insecurity continues to affect West Africa and other parts of the world.
He noted that both countries share a common objective of confronting terrorism in all its forms and said the US–Nigeria 2026 Defence Cooperation Roadmap provides a strong framework for achieving that goal.
The US President expressed optimism about continued collaboration with Tinubu throughout his administration, saying he looked forward to further discussions aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.
The Presidency also highlighted recent developments in security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
Last November, both countries agreed to establish a Joint Working Group, co-chaired by the National Security Advisers of Nigeria and the United States, to enhance cooperation through intelligence sharing, military training and joint operations against terrorist groups.
According to the statement, one of the major outcomes of the collaboration was the May 16 operation against ISIS hideouts in the Lake Chad region, during which the group’s alleged leader, Abubakar Al-Minoki, and several of his top commanders were reportedly killed.
The Presidency further noted that the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Frank Garcia, recently visited Abuja, where he met with senior Nigerian officials, including the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Nigeria in security and other strategic areas.
