Why Trump Ordered the Pentagon to Protect Nigerian Christians Targeted by ISIS – Pete Hegseth

Nigerian Christians are in the news again.
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, more than a year ago, ordered the Pentagon to protect them from attacks by groups linked to ISIS.
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C.
It serves as the symbolic and operational center of the U.S. military, managing national defense and foreign policy.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Trump’s order during a press conference at the White House in Washington DC
He said Trump instructed the Pentagon to prioritize protecting Christians in Nigeria targeted by ISIS-linked groups after learning of the attacks against them.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on making sure that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” ​​Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets.
“And we got the resources there, and in the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed the number two of ISIS in Nigeria, who is primarily responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he said.
According to Hegseth, intelligence gathered during the operation contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’ second-in-command, during a joint operation involving US and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
Hegseth said the operation also led to the deaths of “hundreds” of ISIS fighters linked to attacks against Christians in Nigeria and threats against the United States.
“And since then, thanks to the information we have gathered, we have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria,” he added.
The US defense chief said the operation reflects the Trump administration’s commitment to counterterrorism efforts and protecting vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things that we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the president authorizes the department to do on behalf of the American people for which he deserves great credit,” Hegseth said.