‘They want to end religion’: Trump reveals US strikes weakened terrorists targeting Nigerian Christians

United States President Donald Trump says American military operations in Nigeria dealt a major blow to terrorists responsible for attacks on Christian communities, stating the strikes eliminated the group’s top three leaders and helped stem the violence.

Trump made the remarks on Friday, June 26, 2026, while highlighting what he described as his administration’s efforts to protect Christians and uphold religious freedom across the world.

“I’m saving Christians throughout the world,” the president said, adding that the United States had “recently struck Nigeria and largely ended the slaughter of great Christian populations.”

According to Trump, the military operation successfully targeted the leadership of the terrorist group behind the attacks.

“We knocked out their leader, we knocked out their second leader, and their third leader,” he said.

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Trump added that the terrorists were seeking to eradicate religious practice, saying they intended to shut churches and kill worshippers.

“They will close your churches… they will kill your people. And that’s what they’re about. They want to end religion,” he said.

It would be recalled that Trump, in May, announced the killing of a senior ISIS commander, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, in a joint operation by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the United States forces.

No fewer than 20 suspected ISIS/ISWAP fighters were later killed in coordinated airstrike operations carried out by the Nigerian military with support from the United States Africa Command in Borno State.