Trump Claims US Military Strikes in Nigeria Weakened Terrorists, Protected Christians

United States President Donald Trump has claimed that recent military strikes authorised by his administration in Nigeria significantly weakened terrorist groups and helped reduce attacks on Christian communities.

Speaking at an event in Washington on Friday, Trump said the operation targeted terrorist leaders and disrupted what he described as widespread killings of Christians in Nigeria.

"As you know, we recently struck Nigeria and largely ended the slaughter of great Christian populations," Trump said.

The US president alleged that before the strikes, thousands of Christians, including women, children and the elderly, had been killed by terrorist groups.

"They have a great Christian population. They were being butchered… Thousands and thousands of people were being killed, children, women, old people, just being slaughtered, hacked to death," he said.

Trump further claimed that the military operation eliminated senior terrorist commanders and served as a deterrent against future attacks.

"They know that if they go further, the attack will be far greater," he said.

"We hit them very hard. We knocked out their leader. We knocked out their second leader and their third leader."

However, Trump did not identify the terrorist group involved, specify when or where the strikes took place, or provide evidence to support his claims during his remarks.

The president compared the reported operation in Nigeria to his administration's policy towards Iran, arguing that both were intended to prevent larger security threats.

"It sounds a little bit like Iran, actually… because we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. Can't let it happen," he said.

Trump also reiterated that protecting Christians facing extremist violence remained a priority for his administration.

"So I'm saving Christians throughout the world… I'm saving them by hitting these terrorists very violently and very hard. We know where they are. We hunt them down, and we take them out," he said.

He added that the United States would continue to confront extremist organisations that threaten religious freedom wherever they operate.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no immediate official response from the Nigerian government or military authorities regarding Trump's remarks. Independent verification of the specific operation and its reported impact was also not immediately available.