Pete Hegseth has revealed that former U.S. President Donald Trump issued a directive ordering the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Christians in Nigeria who were being targeted by ISIS-linked groups.
Speaking at a White House press briefing on Wednesday, Hegseth said the instruction was given roughly a year earlier after Trump was alerted to attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria.
According to him, the directive led to covert military coordination and the deployment of U.S. assets, with intelligence gathered during the mission later contributing to the killing of ISIS deputy leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki during a joint U.S.–Nigeria operation in the Lake Chad Basin.
Hegseth said Trump personally pushed for stronger action, recalling the former president’s order that the U.S. “do everything possible” to protect Christians under threat in the region.
He added that the operation produced significant gains in the fight against terrorism, including the elimination of high-ranking ISIS figures responsible for attacks in Nigeria and threats against the United States.
Over time, he claimed, intelligence-driven strikes led to the killing of hundreds of ISIS fighters linked to violence against Christian communities.
Describing the mission as part of a broader counterterrorism strategy, Hegseth said the Trump administration’s approach focused on both defeating extremist networks and protecting vulnerable populations.
He also noted that many of these operations receive little public attention despite their impact, adding that the former president deserved recognition for authorising them.
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as ISIS’s second-in-command in the region, was reportedly killed earlier this month in a coordinated operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in northeastern Nigeria.