adminOn Christmas night the United States, at President Donald Trump’s direction, carried out precision strikes against Islamic State–linked militants in northwest Nigeria, a tough and necessary action to stop terror groups who have preyed on innocent communities. The strikes, conducted in cooperation with Nigerian authorities, mark a clear break from the timidity of recent Washington foreign policy and show an America that will not stand by while Christians and other civilians are butchered. Conservatives who have long warned that moral and strategic weaknesses invite chaos should applaud a commander in chief willing to use American power decisively to protect the innocent.
Former Sen. Rick Santorum, appearing on Newsmax’s National Report, rightly framed this as the kind of leadership Americans expect from a president who puts our interests—and the defense of persecuted religious minorities—first. Santorum’s voice represents the millions of patriotic voters who demanded an America-first foreign policy that actually acts when values and communities are under attack. It’s no accident that conservative media and leaders have rallied behind a president who moves to defend the defenseless rather than issue hollow condemnations.
President Trump and his Department of War insisted the strikes were aimed at militants responsible for brutal campaigns that have targeted Christians, and Secretary Pete Hegseth pledged more action if the slaughter continued. This administration has restored deterrence where others offered lecture tours and sanctions theater, and that restoration of resolve is exactly what keeps American families safe and preserves the moral authority of the United States. For patriots who believe in defending liberty and human dignity, words without action are a betrayal; action without apology is strength.
Nigeria’s government has described the operation as a coordinated, intelligence-driven response to terrorism and pushed back on any suggestion the U.S. targeted groups because of religion, insisting the violence there affects many communities. That debate does not change the fact that Christians in many parts of Africa face brutal persecution, and America’s traditional role has been to stand with the persecuted and confront evil where it breeds. If international partners fail to protect their own citizens, the United States must use its unique capabilities to prevent genocidal campaigns or mass slaughter on our watch.
Make no mistake: there will be howls from the usual suspects who equate toughness with recklessness, but real leadership has never been popular with appeasers. Conservatives should demand that this administration follow through with diplomacy and smart, surgical operations—not open-ended occupations—while pressuring allies and holding local governments accountable for protecting minorities. America’s first duty is to our people and to the cause of liberty; when our president acts to defend persecuted Christians and crush terrorist cells, he is meeting that duty and proving how a confident America leads.
The next steps must be clear: ensure accurate intelligence, coordinate with responsible Nigerian officials to secure affected communities, ramp up humanitarian relief for displaced families, and keep the pressure on terror networks until the threat is truly broken. This Christmas the president showed he will not let persecuted people be forgotten or die quietly while elites in Washington wring their hands; conservatives should back that resolve and demand sustained results. If protecting innocent life and preserving religious liberty offends the left’s narrative, then let them be offended—America will always side with the oppressed and with strength.
