Iraq’s Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada accuses Trump of Al-Maliki's 'political assassination'
Shafaq News– Baghdad
US President Donald Trump interfered in Iraq’s internal affairs after opposing the nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki as the country’s next premier, a senior figure within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) indicated on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Abu Alaa Al-Walai, the secretary-general of the US-sanctioned Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada, a CF faction, labeled Trump’s stance as a “direct and blatant intervention,” accusing him of attempting to “politically assassinate” Al-Maliki and influence who leads the next government.
He further framed the US position as an effort to undermine Iraq’s post-2003 democratic experience and to override the will of voters seeking a government that reflects Iraqi interests rather than US preferences.
— ابو الاء الولائي (@aboalaa_alwalae) January 28, 2026
The remarks followed Trump’s warning that Al-Maliki should not return to office and that the United States could withhold aid if he were re-elected.
Last week, the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF), the largest bloc in the Iraqi parliament with around 185 of 329 seats, nominated Al-Maliki as its official candidate for Iraq’s next premier. His nomination drew support from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and segments of the Sunni National Political Council. Al-Maliki served as Iraq’s prime minister from 2006 to 2014, a period marked by major security, political, and institutional challenges. During his tenure, the rise of ISIS led to the group capturing large areas of Iraq in 2014.
Under Iraq’s post-2003 political system, the presidency is traditionally held by a Kurd, the premiership by a Shiite, and the speakership by a Sunni.
Read more: Nouri Al-Maliki’s return rekindles Iraq’s divisions as Iran and the US pull apart
