A ring R is strongly 2-nil-clean if every element in R is the sum of two idempotents and a nilpotent that commute. Fundamental properties of such rings are obtained. We prove that a ring R is strongly 2-nil-clean if and only if for all a∈R, a−a3∈R is nilpotent, if and only if for all a∈R, a2∈R is strongly nil-clean, if and only if every element in R is the sum of a tripotent and a nilpotent that commute. Furthermore, we prove that a ring R is strongly 2-nil-clean if and only if R/J(R) is tripotent and J(R) is nil, if and only if R≅R1,R2 or R1×R2, where R1/J(R1) is a Boolean ring and J(R1) is nil; R2/J(R2) is a Yaqub ring and J(R2) is nil. Strongly 2-nil-clean group algebras are investigated as well.