Trump warns against Maliki’s return to premiership

Trump warns against Maliki’s return to premiership

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that returning Nouri al-Maliki to the position of prime minister would be a serious mistake, warning that Washington would halt its support to Iraq if Maliki is elected.

Strong criticism from US president

In a post published on his Truth Social platform, Trump described Maliki’s potential return to power as a “very bad choice,” stating that Iraq suffered poverty and instability during his previous time in office. Trump claimed that Maliki’s policies led the country into chaos and said such a scenario should not be repeated.

Threat to withdraw US support

Trump warned that if Maliki is elected prime minister, the United States would stop assisting Iraq, asserting that without American support the country would have little chance of achieving stability, prosperity, or freedom.

Maliki nominated by Coordination Framework

Iraq’s ruling Shiite Coordination Framework announced on Saturday that it had nominated former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki as its candidate for the premiership.

Potential third term

If Maliki secures enough parliamentary support, he would begin a third term as prime minister. He previously served from 2006 to 2014, stepping down during his second term amid major security challenges linked to the rise of ISIS and ongoing corruption accusations.

Election results and political balance

Maliki leads the State of Law coalition, which won 29 seats in Iraq’s November parliamentary elections. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani withdrew his candidacy after his Reconstruction and Development Coalition secured 46 seats, the largest share in the vote.

Mixed reactions to nomination

Despite Trump’s sharp criticism, Maliki’s nomination has been welcomed by several Iraqi and Kurdish political figures, as negotiations continue over the formation of Iraq’s next government.