US official: Trump tied Iraq to Iran pressure
Shafaq News/ Former US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Schenker, said, on Thursday, that President Donald Trump included Iraq in his maximum pressure campaign against Iran.
Speaking at the second day of the 2025 Erbil Forum, Schenker stated that “Washington’s policy toward the Kurdistan Region has benefited the Region in multiple ways, including continued US support and the presence of American troops in Iraqi Kurdistan.”
He also confirmed that the US will maintain its annual $20 million funding for the Peshmerga forces.
Regarding the Trump administration’s stance on Iraq, Schenker said, "I don’t think Trump was particularly focused on Iraq, but he considered it part of his broader maximum pressure campaign against Iran."
