Trump warns US will end Iraq support if Maliki returns

WASHINGTON,— U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to end American support for Iraq if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite politician with strong links to Iran, returns to office.

Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that Iraq would make a “very bad choice” if it reinstated Maliki, who was recently nominated for prime minister by the country’s largest Shiite bloc.

“Last time Maliki was in power, the country fell into poverty and chaos. That should not happen again,” Trump said. “If elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq.”

He added that without U.S. assistance, Iraq would have “ZERO chance of success, prosperity, or freedom” and concluded with the slogan, “MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN.”

Maliki resigned in 2014 after pressure from Washington. U.S. officials had blamed his sectarian policies for enabling the rise of the Islamic State, which carried out widespread attacks in Sunni-majority areas.

The U.S. retains considerable leverage in Iraq because most of the country’s oil revenues are deposited at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York.

Oil sales account for roughly 90 percent of government income, making Iraq financially dependent on international and U.S.-controlled mechanisms.

Trump’s remarks followed a recent call from Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, expressing similar concerns about Maliki’s return.

Political sources said the U.S. had also sent letters to Iraqi lawmakers, warning that Washington views Maliki negatively.

By tradition, Iraq’s prime minister is Shiite, while the presidency is held by a Kurd. On Saturday, the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite parties with close Iranian ties and a parliamentary majority, announced its support for Maliki.

The president would usually make the formal nomination.

Iraq’s parliament had been set to vote on a president on Tuesday, but the election was delayed. INA, the official press agency, reported that the two leading Kurdish parties asked for more time to reach an agreement on a candidate.

Before Trump’s public intervention, an Iraqi source said the Coordination Framework was moving ahead with Maliki, believing he could eventually reassure Washington.

A pro-Iranian government in Iraq would provide Tehran with a rare advantage after domestic unrest and regional setbacks.

Iran has faced mass protests since late December, leading to thousands of deaths and challenging the clerical regime. Regionally, Israel has launched strikes inside Iran and against Hezbollah in Lebanon, while Iran lost its key ally after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Relations between the United States and Prime Minister Sudani have remained steady. Sudani has worked to prevent violence by Iranian-linked Shiite militias and has coordinated with U.S. officials to transfer Islamic State prisoners from Syria to Iraq.

During Sudani’s term, Maliki also drew U.S. criticism for supporting strict anti-LGBTQ legislation under the Biden administration.

Trump’s direct involvement in Iraq breaks precedent for American foreign policy. He has publicly supported candidates abroad in countries including Poland, Romania, and Honduras, where the Trump-backed candidate was sworn in this week.

Earlier in January, he authorized a military operation in Venezuela that removed leftist President Nicolas Maduro.

(With files from AFP)