Nouri al‑Maliki has affirmed that he will not withdraw from the race for the premiership, stressing that his nomination is an internal constitutional matter decided by the Coordination Framework forces. He emphasized that there is no American pressure regarding his candidacy and dismissed the possibility of foreign interference in Iraqi politics.

For his part, Donald Trump described al‑Maliki’s nomination as “a very bad choice” and stated that the United States would not provide any future assistance to Iraq if he were elected, a remark that stirred tensions in Baghdad.

Al‑Maliki, who previously served as prime minister from 2006 to 2014, wields significant influence within the Shiite political sphere and maintains strong ties with Iran.