Trump says US will end support for Iraq if al-Maliki reinstated as PM

Al-Maliki has been nominated by the largest Shia bloc in parliament as its candidate for PM.Published On 27 Jan 2026President Donald Trump has threatened that the United States will end support for Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki, a former prime minister with ties to the US’s longstanding foe Iran, is reinstated to the post.Trump, in his latest intervention in another country’s politics, said on Tuesday that Iraq would be making a “very bad choice” with al-Maliki, who just days previously was nominated by the Coordination Framework, the largest Shia bloc in parliament, as its candidate.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Iraq Shia alliance nominates former PM Nouri al-Maliki as its candidatelist 2 of 3What al-Maliki’s return would mean for Iraq and the regionlist 3 of 3Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah warns of ‘total war’ if Iran is attackedend of list“Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.“Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq,” he said.“If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE Iraq GREAT AGAIN!”Trump’s comments are the starkest example yet of the Republican president’s campaign to curb Iran-linked groups’ influence in Iraq, which has long walked a tightrope between its two closest allies, Washington and Tehran.In a letter, US representatives said that while the selection of the prime minister is an Iraqi decision, “the United States will make its own sovereign decisions regarding the next government in line with American interests”.As part of Trump’s pressure campaign, Washington has also threatened senior Iraqi politicians with sanctions on the country should armed groups backed by Iran be included in the next government, the Reuters news agency reported last week.