U.S. President Donald Trump is set to welcome Iraq’s newly appointed Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to the White House on Tuesday, as Washington presses Baghdad to curb the influence of Iran-backed armed groups operating inside the country.
Al-Zaidi, a businessman with no previous political experience, emerged as a consensus choice for prime minister after months of political deadlock following Iraq’s parliamentary elections last year. He was formally installed as prime minister-designate in April.
Trump strongly backed al-Zaidi’s rise to office, describing his appointment as the beginning of a new chapter in U.S.-Iraq relations focused on prosperity, stability and closer bilateral ties.
Washington had earlier opposed the return of former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, who was initially backed by Iraq’s dominant Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite political parties with close ties to Iran. Trump publicly warned against al-Maliki’s appointment and threatened to cut U.S. assistance to Iraq if he returned to power.
Iran is expected to be a central issue during Tuesday’s Oval Office talks.
The Iraqi government is under growing pressure to disarm Iran-backed militias, including groups accused of launching attacks on U.S. military bases and diplomatic facilities following the outbreak of war involving the United States, Israel and Iran in February.
Baghdad has officially given non-state armed groups until the end of September to surrender their weapons. However, several powerful militias have indicated they have no intention of complying.
A Trump administration official said Washington would make future decisions on its relationship with Iraq based partly on Baghdad’s efforts to dismantle Iranian-backed militia networks.
Analysts warn that al-Zaidi faces a significant security challenge. Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House, said Washington is likely to put substantial pressure on the Iraqi leader to accelerate the disarmament campaign.
However, Mansour said Baghdad could seek U.S. intelligence, technical and military support, amid fears that powerful militias could retaliate against the Iraqi government if authorities move aggressively against them.
Al-Zaidi’s relationship with Washington also carries complications. He previously served as chairman of Al-Janoob Islamic Bank, one of several Iraqi financial institutions barred by the country’s central bank in 2024 from conducting U.S. dollar transactions. The restrictions came amid American pressure on Baghdad to combat money laundering and prevent funds from reaching Iran.
Tuesday’s meeting is expected to test whether Trump’s political backing for al-Zaidi can translate into deeper U.S.-Iraq cooperation as Baghdad navigates growing tensions between Washington and Tehran.
