Trump: If Nouri al-Maliki Returns as Prime Minister, We Will Not Provide Aid to Iraq

SadaNews - On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said, "We hear that the great state of Iraq may make a very bad choice by reinstating Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister."

He added, "In the case of Nouri al-Maliki being elected, the U.S. will not provide aid to Iraq."

Al-Maliki's nomination for the new government in Iraq has faced paralysis that may threaten his exclusion from the position, after U.S. messages were received objecting to the formation of a government that "does not diminish Iranian influence in the country," considering the current options as an Iranian rejection of an agreement that would spare Tehran an imminent war.

SadaNews obtained the text of a U.S. message presented at a meeting of the "Coordination Framework" on Monday evening, showcasing Washington's objection to the mechanisms for nominating the designated Prime Minister and other leadership positions, just two days after al-Maliki was named the candidate for the largest bloc for the position of Prime Minister.

A source indicated that a prominent leader in the "Coordination Framework" received a surprising U.S. call early Monday, informing him of Washington's objection to the continued Iranian dominance over the mechanisms for forming the government. A prominent leader in al-Maliki's "State of Law" coalition acknowledged that the U.S. message confused his nomination and made his path to a third term extremely difficult.