President Trump did what too many in Washington only talk about: he ordered American force to blunt the murderers who have been slaughtering Christians in Nigeria, and he didn’t shy away from saying so — even calling the strikes a “Christmas present” to ISIS. That blunt talk is exactly why patriotic Americans voted for a commander-in-chief who will act, not apologize, when Christian lives are on the line.
The operation struck Islamic State-affiliated militants in northwest Nigeria’s Sokoto region in coordination with Abuja, using precision strikes that U.S. officials say were timed to hit militant camps hard. Nigeria’s government publicly acknowledged the cooperation, which demonstrates smart use of intelligence-sharing rather than clumsy unilateral adventurism.
Make no mistake: this was about protecting vulnerable people and sending an unmistakable message to jihadists who thought they could butcher innocents with impunity. Mr. Trump said he delayed the operation to land on Christmas Day for symbolic effect and to maximize psychological impact, a reminder that strategic timing can be a tool of deterrence.
Conservative commentators and rank-and-file Americans rightly cheered a president who finally translates promises into action instead of issuing another endless cycle of condemnations and memos. The reaction from Trump supporters reflects a broader truth: when the regime changes from weak appeasement to decisive response, enemies rethink their calculations and allies take notice.
Yes, some foreign-policy sophisticates and newsroom critics will wring their hands about sovereignty or the complexity of Nigeria’s internal tensions, and those concerns deserve sober attention. Still, the hard reality is that predators who target Christians and other innocents must be confronted where they hide, and isolated moralizing won’t stop massacres — coordinated pressure and precision force will.
Heading into 2026, Republicans should make no apology for this brand of muscular, moral foreign policy that defends the persecuted and protects American interests abroad. If Washington wants to deter terror and defend faith, this administration has shown it will act — and conservatives should double down on supporting leadership that puts courage before convenience.
