Trump Threatens to End US Support for Iraq if al-Maliki Returns as Prime Minister

US President Donald Trump has warned that Washington would withdraw its support for Iraq if former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is reinstated, escalating pressure as Iraqi political blocs work to form a new government.

Trump said Iraq would be making a very bad decision by backing al-Maliki, who was recently nominated by the Coordination Framework, the largest Shia bloc in parliament, as its candidate for prime minister. Al-Maliki previously served from 2006 to 2014 and is widely seen as having close ties to Iran, a longstanding adversary of the United States.

Written by Adeyemi Adewale