U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi to the White House, where the two leaders discussed strengthening the strategic partnership between their countries. Their talks focused on the economy, energy, U.S. troop withdrawal, weapons control, and regional developments.

Trump Praises al-Zaidi and Hails Stronger Bilateral Relations

Donald Trump described his meeting with Ali Faleh al-Zaidi as excellent, saying relations between the United States and Iraq have reached "an excellent level."

Trump said, "We have tremendous chemistry together," describing al-Zaidi as an "amazing" leader and a "fantastic champion."

He added that al-Zaidi won an election "that a lot of people didn't anticipate could be won by anybody else other than another person who, in my opinion, was not a good person, not good for America, I don't think good for Iraq."

Trump said the Iraqi prime minister had won the election "very soundly and conclusively," predicting that he "is going to be there for a long time" after having "changed the country" in a very short period. He also noted that he had invited al-Zaidi to lunch.

Strategic Partnership Focused on the Economy

Al-Zaidi thanked Trump for the warm welcome and said he traveled to the United States to announce a strategic partnership, emphasizing that Iraq needs a strong economic partner such as the United States.

Both sides stressed that the U.S.-Iraq relationship will be economic and not military, confirming that U.S. companies will come to Iraq to invest and operate in the Iraqi market.

Oil Cooperation and OPEC Coordination

Trump said, "Iraq has tremendous potential because of their oil," emphasizing the need for close coordination between the two countries on energy issues.

He announced that major oil contracts with Iraq would be signed this week, adding:

"We're going to create a lot of jobs for both countries. And we're going to be taking out a lot of oil."

Trump also said Iraqi leaders prefer American investment, stating:

"They don't want to do business with others. They want to do business with America, and that's good."

The two leaders also agreed that Iraq should receive what they described as a fair and appropriate production share within OPEC.

U.S. Troop Withdrawal and the Fight Against ISIS

Addressing the future of U.S. forces in Iraq, Trump stated that there is no longer a need for American troops to remain in the country, saying that on September 30, the U.S. forces will be out of Iraq.

Al-Zaidi said the Iraqi armed forces are fully capable of protecting the country.

He also highlighted the close cooperation between Iraq and the United States in the war against ISIS, noting that the conflict caused $400 billion in damage to Iraq's economy.

Weapons Must Remain Under State Control

The Iraqi prime minister reaffirmed that no individual or armed force outside the state should possess weapons.

He declared that after September 30, we will not need any armed groups, adding that bringing all weapons under state authority remains one of the government's primary objectives.

President Trump reiterated his full support for al-Zaidi's efforts to ensure that all weapons remain under the authority of the Iraqi state.

Trump on Iran and Qasem Soleimani

Trump said Iran had previously created major challenges for Iraq but asserted that it would never again dominate Iraq or the wider Middle East.

He also stated that he personally ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani, saying Soleimani had previously exercised significant influence across the region.

Al-Zaidi: Kurdistan Region Is an Integral Part of Iraq

Prime Minister al-Zaidi emphasized the importance of national unity, stating that he does not differentiate between different parts of Iraq.

He reiterated that the Kurdistan Region is an integral part of Iraq and holds the same status as Basra Governorate.