PM Zaidi Meets Trump at White House in First Foreign Trip, Signs Energy Fund Deal

PM Ali al-Zaidi departed Baghdad on July 13, 2026 for Washington — his first foreign trip since taking office in May — leading a delegation of more than 70 officials including cabinet ministers, the central bank governor, the national security adviser, and business leaders. He met President Trump at the White House on July 14, 2026. The visit centered on reframing US-Iraq relations 'from a framework of crisis management to a strategic economic partnership,' per government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi. Zaidi was set to sign a US-Iraq energy and development fund built around roughly 500,000 barrels per day of Iraqi oil exports in return for US help expanding Iraq's electricity supply, alongside broader trade and investment agreements. Iraq is separately seeking an IMF loan of up to $8 billion. Discussions also covered the 2024 US-led coalition drawdown (combat forces scheduled to leave by end-September 2026) and Washington's pressure for full PMF disarmament by the September 30 deadline. The Iran-aligned 'Islamic Resistance in Iraq' issued a statement ahead of the trip warning it would 'not give a blank cheque for all government policies,' underscoring domestic political risk for Zaidi as he balances Washington and Tehran.