Retired Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt on Friday cautioned Americans to stay vigilant during holiday gatherings amid concerns about extremist violence, and said that President Donald Trump's Christmas night strikes in Nigeria could be part of a broader global campaign to deter terrorist groups.
Holt, a Newsmax contributor and former U.S. deputy military representative to NATO, speaking on Newsmax's "Newsline," said additional strikes are possible, framing the Nigeria action as a "cost imposition on terrorists" rather than a return to large-scale U.S. ground wars.
"We're not talking about ground forces, massive invasions in another Iraq and Afghanistan," Holt said. "We're talking about precision strikes hitting them wherever they are and making them think twice about doing it again."
Holt linked the Nigerian violence to broader instability and raised alarms about the possibility of ISIS-inspired threats in multiple regions, pointing to attacks and unrest abroad and warning that extremists lack "any moral code or compass whatsoever."
He also urged heightened situational awareness in the U.S., especially in major cities, as New Year's celebrations approach.
"Everybody's got to keep their head on a swivel, especially through these holidays," Holt said.
"See something, say something is not a cliche statement," Holt added.
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