[House Document 116-164]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]




116th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 116-164

 
               DEPLOYMENT OF U.S. ARMED FORCES TO NIGERIA

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

A NOTIFICATION OF A DEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES PERSONNEL 
  TO NIGERIA TO RESCUE MR. PHILIPPE WALTON, A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, 
PURSUANT TO 50 U.S.C. 1543(a); PUBLIC LAW 93-148, SEC. 4(a); (87 STAT. 555)
                                  

		[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


  November 2, 2020.--Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and 
                         ordered to be printed
                         
                          	__________
                         
                         
                   U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

19-011 			    WASHINGTON : 2020
			 

                         
                         
                         
                         
                                           The White House,
                                      Washington, November 1, 2020.
Hon. Nancy Pelosi,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Madam Speaker: At my direction, on October 30, 2020, 
United States forces conducted an operation in Nigeria to 
rescue Mr. Philippe Walton, a United States citizen. Mr. Walton 
had been kidnapped on the morning of October 27, 2020, from his 
home in Niger. His captors transported him across the Niger 
border into Nigeria, demanded a ransom for his release, and 
threatened to kill him if his family failed to pay that ransom.
    The operation was undertaken by a small number of combat 
equipped United States forces after the United States received 
reliable intelligence regarding Mr. Walton's location in 
Nigeria. These forces departed Nigeria on October 31, 2020, 
successfully completing the operation. Mr. Walton is safe and 
is now in the care of the United States Department of State. No 
United States military personnel were injured or killed during 
the operation.
    I directed this action consistent with my responsibility to 
protect United States citizens both at home and abroad and in 
furtherance of United States national interests, pursuant to my 
constitutional authority as Commander in Chief and Chief 
Executive. I am providing this report as part of my efforts to 
keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War 
Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support 
of the Congress in this action.
            Sincerely,
                                                   Donald J. Trump.

                                  [all]