Trump calls Christmas airstrikes in Nigeria a ‘perfect surprise’ against terrorists”

By Johnson Arua

U.S. President Donald Trump has hailed the recent airstrikes on terrorist camps in Northwestern Nigeria as a major success, revealing that the operation was deliberately timed to maximize surprise and symbolic impact.

In an interview with Politico, Trump said he personally instructed the U.S. military to delay the strikes until the Christmas period, describing the timing as both tactical and strategic.

Executed a day after Christmas, the operation aimed to catch militants completely off guard. “They were going to do it earlier, and I said, ‘Nope, let’s give a Christmas present,’”

Trump said, framing the strikes as a calculated move rather than a rushed response.

He added that the delay paid off, claiming the militants did not expect an attack during the festive season. “Every camp got decimated,” he stated.

Trump initially announced the operation via social media, presenting it as retaliation for the killing of Christians by Islamic State militants at levels “not seen for many years, and even centuries.”

His comments sparked debate in Nigeria, with critics questioning whether the strikes violated national sovereignty or had Abuja’s approval.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, moved to ease concerns, confirming that the operation was conducted with full Nigerian consent and participation.

“The operation was conducted under established command-and-control structures, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” Idris said, emphasizing it as part of ongoing intelligence sharing and strategic cooperation between Abuja and Washington.

Overall, Trump’s remarks frame the airstrikes as both a tactical victory and a psychological blow, carefully orchestrated in timing as much as in firepower.