Trump meets with Iraq prime minister at White House , vows a lot of deal | Donald Trump News

What Happened

President Donald Trump and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met at the White House on Tuesday and pledged to deepen economic ties and boost Iraqi oil output. Trump stated 'we’re going to be doing a lot of deals' and that 'a lot of oil is coming out.' Al-Zaidi described the visit as the start of an 'economic partnership,' asserting that US-Iraq relations are shifting from militaristic to economic. Both leaders announced that the remaining US forces in Iraq—estimated at fewer than 2,000—would entirely withdraw by September 30. Al-Zaidi also pledged that armed factions in Iraq would disarm by the same date, though he did not specify how. Shortly before the visit, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed armed groups, said it would reject any outcomes of al-Zaidi’s trip. The meeting occurred amid ongoing regional tensions, including a US-Israeli war with Iran that began on February 28 and an effective Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz that has heavily impacted Iraq’s oil-dependent economy.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The meeting signals a potential structural shift in US-Iraq ties from a post-ISIL military presence to an economic partnership centered on oil, while setting a hard deadline for US troop withdrawal and disarmament of Iran-aligned militias. This pivot carries implications for Iranian influence in Iraq, stability in OPEC+ production negotiations, and the security architecture of the Strait of Hormuz, where recent US-Iran fighting has disrupted Iraq’s export capacity.

Watch For

Monitor whether the September 30 withdrawal and disarmament deadlines are met, the signing of specific oil and gas agreements, Iraq’s OPEC quota negotiations, and potential violent rejection by Iran-backed factions like the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. Any renewal of US-Iran hostilities or changes in Strait of Hormuz access will directly affect Iraq’s economic recovery plans.