Trump labels US strikes on ISIS in Nigeria as “Christmas present”

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump on Friday characterized recent military strikes targeting ISIS (Daesh) positions in Nigeria as a symbolic act, referring to them as a “Christmas present” directed at the extremist group.

Speaking during a radio appearance, Trump said that “Tens of thousands of Christians” have been killed in Nigeria and claimed he had previously cautioned Nigerian authorities about potential repercussions. Recounting his remarks, he said:
"I said yesterday, 'Hit them on Christmas Day. It will be a Christmas present,"

He added that US forces carried out powerful attacks against ISIS locations across multiple areas, labeling the group “terrible” and “butchers.” Emphasizing the scale of the operation, he stated:
"They really got hit hard yesterday,"
followed by:
"They got a very bad Christmas present."

In another interview, Trump explained that the strikes were initially scheduled for an earlier date but were deliberately delayed. He said the operation was postponed until Christmas Day to give it “symbolic” significance. Describing the outcome, he remarked:
"They didn’t think that was coming ... Every camp got decimated,"

The US president later announced via his social media platform that American forces had conducted attacks on ISIS targets in northwestern Nigeria. According to official military statements, the strikes were launched “at the request of Nigerian authorities” in Sokoto State and resulted in “killing multiple ISIS terrorists,” as stated in reports.

Nigerian officials confirmed on Friday that cooperation with the United States on security issues remains ongoing as the country confronts persistent threats from terrorism and violent extremism.

Separately, Trump claimed that US forces had also carried out strikes on a significant maritime-related facility in Venezuela. He described the target as “a big plant or a big facility ... where the ships come from,” without identifying its precise location, and said it was hit “two nights ago.” He added that the site was struck “very hard.”

Trump suggested that criticism of these actions was politically motivated, arguing that domestic opponents disapproved primarily because he authorized the strikes. He claimed that critics would respond differently if the same actions had been ordered by another leader, even from the same political party, saying they would claim "that's all right."

These remarks come amid an escalation of US military activity in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September, which officials say is tied to counter-narcotics efforts. Reports indicate that at least 105 people have been killed across 29 strikes during this period.

The intensified campaign aligns with broader pressure on Venezuela, including measures such as blocking oil tankers, seizing vessels, and deploying large military forces near Venezuelan waters. Venezuelan authorities have condemned these actions, describing them as “international piracy.”

MENAFN27122025000045017640ID1110528660