Hegseth Praises U.S. Military Efforts to Protect Nigerian Christians From ISIS

During a cabinet meeting hosted by President Donald J. Trump at the White House today, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised recent efforts the U.S. military has made to counter the Islamic State and its ongoing murder of Christians in the African country of Nigeria.

The secretary noted Trump charged the War Department with taking steps to protect the persecuted Christians, who compose roughly one-half of Nigeria's population.

"Maybe a year ago, [the president] heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS. … And he said, 'Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,'" Hegseth explained.

He added that, while forming the partnerships necessary to execute such a mission can take time behind the scenes, the president remained persistent in his tasking, and the proper assets were eventually put in place.

"And, over the past month — and there hasn't been much coverage of this — we killed ISIS' No. 2 [commander], who was most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland," Hegseth said.

BREAKING: Secretary of War Hegseth reveals President Trump ordered the Pentagon to prioritize protecting Nigerian Christians targeted by ISIS — and says the mission quietly led to the killing of ISIS’ second-in-command in Nigeria.

Hegseth says U.S. intelligence gathered during… pic.twitter.com/08LDabt0n7

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