ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump on Friday described strikes against ISIS (Daesh) targets in Nigeria as a "Christmas present" to the terror group.

"Tens of thousands of Christians" are being killed in Nigeria, Trump said on WABC radio, adding that he had warned the Nigerian government about consequences.

"I said yesterday, 'Hit them on Christmas Day. It will be a Christmas present," Trump said.

He said US forces struck ISIS "hard" in different locations, calling the terror group "terrible" and "butchers."

"They really got hit hard yesterday," he said. "They got a very bad Christmas present."

The US conducted strikes against ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria on Thursday, Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social.

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it launched the strikes "at the request of Nigerian authorities" in Sokoto State, "killing multiple ISIS terrorists," according to a post on US social media company X.

Nigeria confirmed early Friday that it continues collaborating with the US on security matters to address the ongoing threat of terrorism and violent extremism.

Trump says US strikes hit major maritime facility in Venezuela

Trump said the US recently carried out strikes on “a big plant or a big facility ... where the ships come from," though he did not specify the location or target. He said the site was hit “two nights ago,” adding that US forces struck it “very hard.”

He suggested that domestic political opposition shaped criticism of the attacks, claiming that Democrats oppose the action primarily because he ordered it. He argued that Democrats would say "that's all right" if the strikes had been authorized by someone else, even another Republican.

The comments come as the US military has intensified operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific since September, claiming efforts against narcotics trafficking. At least 105 people have been killed in 29 strikes.

The campaign coincides with Washington’s pressure on Venezuela, including a blockade of oil tankers, vessel seizures, and mass deployment of the military near Venezuelan waters.

Caracas condemned the actions as “international piracy.”