Donald Trump commented on the Iraqi Prime Minister

The account of the matter: U.S. President Donald Trump met and spoke on Tuesday at the White House with Ali Al-Zaydi, Iraq’s prime minister. The meeting took place while Al-Zaydi was in Washington for an official visit, and several media outlets reported on his reception at the White House. During the meeting, Trump spoke about U.S.-Iraq relations, the U.S. military presence in Iraq, oil cooperation, and the issue of the Strait of Hormuz; Al-Zaydi, meanwhile, emphasized concentrating weapons in the hands of the Iraqi government and a strategic partnership with the United States. Some media outlets also covered parts of the meeting with references to the Iraq war, the assassinations of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, or developments related to Iran.

• Trump welcomed Ali Al-Zaydi, Iraq’s prime minister, at the White House, and the meeting was described as part of his official visit to Washington.
• Several reports said that Trump stated the United States “does not need a military presence in Iraq” or “we do not need a military presence in Iraq.”
• The Iranian news agency IRNA, quoting Trump, wrote that he said he thinks the United States does not need a military presence in Iraq.
• In remarks reflected by Khabar Fori, Trump described Ali Al-Zaydi as “terrific” and said he won an election in which many thought someone else would prevail.
• In the same Khabar Fori report, Trump said that he considered that other person to be Nouri al-Maliki and added that he does not regard him as “a good person.”
• Khabar Fori also quoted Trump as saying that he believes Ali Al-Zaydi “will be in power for a long time.”
• Shargh and Iran International reported, quoting Trump, that he spoke of the possibility of forming a strong oil partnership between the United States and Iraq and said its announcement was near.
• In Shargh’s account, Trump said oil companies would enter Iraq on an “unprecedented scale.”
• Trump told Iraq’s prime minister in the meeting that he had wanted Al-Zaydi to become prime minister because his rival held “hostile” positions toward Washington; Shargh reported this quote.
• Ali Al-Zaydi said in the meeting that the Iraqi government’s approach is to concentrate weapons in the hands of the state, describing this as “a fundamental principle” and “non-negotiable.”
• In the IRNA Telegram account and some other reports, Al-Zaydi said that Iraq needs a strategic partner like the United States to overcome economic and technological challenges.
• According to the same report, Al-Zaydi also said that after September 30 there is no need for any armed group, and that the security forces can protect Iraqi territory.
• Trump also claimed, regarding the Strait of Hormuz, that people and countries had contacted him and said they preferred this issue be resolved “in a different way”; this point was reflected in Elected Coverage.
• Mehr wrote that Trump