Washington Draws Red Line on Maliki’s Return as Prime Minister

U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iraq against the possible return of Nouri al-Maliki as prime minister, saying the country descended into “poverty and total chaos” during his previous time in office.

“That should not be allowed to happen again,” Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday. He said that if al-Maliki were to return to power, the United States would no longer help Iraq, adding that without U.S. support the country would have “zero chance of success, prosperity, or freedom.”

Trump concluded his message with the slogan “MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!”

Al-Maliki’s Political Comeback Bid

Nouri al-Maliki, leader of the Islamic Dawa Party, served two consecutive terms as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014. He has now been nominated by the Shia Coordination Framework, a political bloc that currently holds a parliamentary majority, to serve again as prime minister.

The nomination has intensified political tensions inside Iraq and drawn sharp reactions abroad, particularly from Washington.

The Name That Paved The Way For Terrorism

Al-Maliki remains one of the most divisive figures in Iraq’s political landscape. During his time in office, he was widely criticized for sectarian policies, a heavy-handed security approach and close alignment with Iran.

Maliki also caused the terrorist organization ISIS (Daesh) to expand its presence in Iraq. Al-Maliki left office in 2014 following intense pressure from Washington amid the country’s deepening security crisis.