President Donald Trump on Monday congratulated Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Kadhim al-Zaidi on his victory in the “highly competitive” elections during his first visit to the White House, even though Zaidi was not a candidate and his name did not appear on the ballot.
“We have a fantastic champion, a new champion, and he won the election very confidently, very convincingly, and he was not considered a favorite,” Trump said while introducing Zaidi in the Oval Office. He added: “But later he gained support and won.”
An Unexpected Path to Power
Ali Faleh Kadhim al-Zaidi, a businessman with no prior election experience, unexpectedly emerged as a key figure in Iraqi politics after the Trump administration effectively blocked the candidacy of the representative from the winning Shiite bloc — former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.
In January, Trump threatened to “no longer help” Iraq if the government supported Maliki, which resulted in a constitutional deadlock. Amid military tensions between the USA and Iran, Iraqi political factions sought a candidate viewed as relatively neutral.
Consensus Candidate and Future Plans
Ali Faleh Kadhim al-Zaidi was seen as a candidate capable of uniting various political forces. His background includes experience in the banking sector and managing the supply of goods for the Iraqi government’s food basket program, which serves millions.
Zaidi aims to use his visit to promote American investment in Iraq and plans to meet with oil companies in Texas later this week.
Source: The Washington Post
