The long-standing tradition of U.S. airstrikes in Somalia has extended into President Donald Trump’s renewed tenure. During his inaugural address, Trump declared, “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker.” Yet, a skeptic might ask, can a leader claim to be a peacemaker when the engines of war continue to hum?
On February 3, 2025, President Trump addressed reporters from the Oval Office, the weight of his decisions evident in the furrows of his brow (Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images). Recently, he ordered another military strike in Somalia, one in a series that raises questions about his true intentions.
Trump has often wielded the promise of ending “endless wars” as a rhetorical banner. “These killers,” he announced on social media, “were hiding in caves and plotting harm against us and our allies.” An intriguing image, is it not? Yet these operations often leave us pondering the unseen repercussions and the realities on the ground.
He labeled the airstrike’s target as a ‘Senior ISIS Attack Planner’, a phantom pursued fruitlessly during the Biden administration’s reign. The message was bold and indelible: “WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!” Such declarations echo with a certain bravado, reminiscent of dialogue best reserved for the silver screen rather than global diplomacy.
Despite the United States Africa Command’s (AFRICOM) assurance that the operation was coordinated with the Somali government, whispers of discontent suggest otherwise. According to an official speaking to The Intercept, the Somali authorities received scant forewarning.
Interestingly, AFRICOM chose a path of silence regarding details—no confirmation of Trump’s cave narrative or the precision of the target. Kelly Cahalan, an AFRICOM spokesperson, offered no further insight, stating simply, “We do not have any additional information to provide.” This leaves one pondering: Are all the cards truly on the table?
Diverging narratives are not uncommon in such complex scenarios. An Intercept investigation from 2023 implicates a similar operation in 2018 in civilian deaths, a stark contrast to official claims of terrorist casualties. Luul Dahir Mohamed and her young daughter were among the innocent lives lost, victims to military maneuvers bereft of accountability. Their family’s endeavors to seek acknowledgment from the U.S. government remain futile, lost in the administrative ether.
The United States’ chaotic dance with conflict-stricken Somalia began in 2007. Strikes significantly escalated under Trump’s administration, his first term witnessing over 200 air attacks. Is this escalation a sign of progress, or merely a testament to unresolved entanglements? The stage is shared with other leaders, like Obama and Biden, each contributing their chapters to the ongoing saga.
Even though ISIS–Somalia’s foothold is limited to the Golis Mountains of Northeastern State, assertions of the organization posing a direct threat to the U.S. are, as of yet, unsubstantiated. The complexities of this geopolitical chess game are myriad and confounding.
In a tweet later that week, President Trump showcased grainy footage of the strike, further fanning the flames of public curiosity. The sight: crosshairs settling over tranquil hills, a blinding flash, and a bloom of smoke—the grim testament to modern warfare’s detachment.
Conundrums of foreign policy notwithstanding, Trump has articulated skepticism regarding the war in Somalia, a sentiment seemingly at odds with ongoing actions. In a past attempt at realignment, he ordered U.S. forces to withdraw from Somalia, though in reality, troops were never fully vacated. It’s a game of shadows where clarity often drowns in a sea of strategic postures.
Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud expressed gratitude for this latest strike, lauding Trump’s decisive approach to terrorism. Might such praise influence future conflicts and alignments? Consider the recent engagement with the BGR Group, a Washington lobbying firm—an alliance driven by both diplomatic need and perceived threats to military bonds.
Thus, the narrative continues, a saga in which the potent mix of power, policy, and pursuit of peace remains ever so complex. As we watch the story unfold, we ask ourselves: Where does it lead? Will it end with peace, or are we merely cycling through an endless reel of conflict?
Edited By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
