Trump Warns Iraq: No U.S. Backing If Maliki Returns to Power
Trump Warns Iraq: No U.S. Backing If Maliki Returns to Power
Trump vows no U.S. support for Iraq if ex-PM al-Maliki returns, citing past chaos and Iran influence as Baghdad weighs its political path.
President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning on social media: the United States would no longer back Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki were to return to the premiership. He argued that Maliki's previous tenure led to poverty and chaos and warned it should not be allowed to happen again.
The warning comes as Iraqi politics reel from November elections in which caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's bloc won the largest share of seats but failed to form a government, clearing the path for Maliki after competing for backing from the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite parties.
Maliki, who first served as prime minister in 2006, is seen by the new U.S. administration as too close to Tehran, a concern that has animated debates over Iran's influence on Iraqi policymaking as protests and economic woes ripple through the region.
Trump's intervention adds a new twist to Iraq's delicate political balance at a moment when Washington has been weighing potential actions regarding Iran, and when Iraqi leaders are navigating domestic pressures and international alignment.
Analysts say such threats can complicate negotiations and risk unintended consequences for an already fragile government formation process.
Maliki's bid, if successful, would mark a return to power for a figure whose tenure is associated with both stability for some and controversy for others.
