Trump blasts Iraqi Kurds over weapons intended for Iran protesters

WASHINGTON,— U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday again accused Iraqi Kurdish groups of keeping weapons that he said Washington intended for anti-government protesters in Iran, repeating earlier claims that the arms never reached their destination.

Speaking to reporters during a maternal healthcare event, Trump said he was unhappy with the Kurds and claimed Iranian demonstrators failed to rise up because they were left without weapons.

“I am very disappointed with the Kurds,” Trump said. “We gave them weapons so they could take them into Iran and deliver them, but they kept them for themselves.”

Trump said his administration believed Kurdish groups would move the weapons into Iran, but he argued the plan failed because the arms never arrived. He also criticized the strong support Kurdish factions receive in Congress.

“We thought the Kurds were gonna give us weapons, but the Kurds disappointed us. The Kurds take, take, take,” Trump said. “They have a great reputation in Congress. Congress says, oh, they fight so hard. No, they fight hard when they get paid.”

Trump added that he had opposed the effort from the beginning and warned the weapons would never reach Iran.

Several Iranian Kurdish opposition groups have strongly denied the allegations and said they never received or withheld weapons from Washington.

Observers and analysts said the weapons likely ended up in Erbil, an area controlled by the ruling Barzani family.

Most Iranian Kurdish armed opposition groups are based in Erbil province, and analysts said the Kurdistan Democratic Party, led by the Barzanis, likely knew where the weapons went.

They also noted that the Sulaimani region, controlled by the Talabani family’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, has closer relations with Iran but does not allow Iranian Kurdish opposition groups to operate in areas under its control.

According to observers, this made the Barzani-controlled region the likely destination for any weapons transfers.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Trump’s remarks reflected broad support for the Iranian people and were not confirmation of specific weapons deliveries.

Several officials and politicians in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region also said they were unaware of any U.S. weapons delivered to Kurdish groups.

In April 2026, Trump said weapons intended for Iranian protesters never reached them, adding that he was deeply dissatisfied with a certain group and warning they would “pay a big price for that.”

In 2016, the Barzanis have faced criticism before after weapons supplied by Western countries for the fight against ISIS later appeared on the black market.

(With files from Rudaw | Agencies)