President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House on Tuesday, pledging to pull remaining US forces from Iraq by Sept. 30 while the premier vowed to disarm armed factions by the same deadline.
Trump, who had opposed the return of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and threatened aid cuts, backed al-Zaidi's government as it seeks to centralize weapons under state control—though some militias have resisted. The Iraqi leader, who previously chaired a bank barred from US dollar transactions over money-laundering concerns, called Washington Iraq's most important strategic partner.
Trump predicted more U.S. oil companies would enter Iraq, with major energy deals expected in the coming days, as Iraq exports roughly 3.4 million barrels daily, most transiting the Strait of Hormus.