Trump Praises New Iraqi PM al-Zaidi During White House Visit

President Donald Trump gave Iraq's new prime minister an effusive welcome at the White House on Tuesday, promoting the “tremendous chemistry” between him and a fellow wealthy businessman who arrived at the seat of governmental power without any prior political experience. 

Ali al-Zaidi emerged as a consensus candidate in Iraq after months of deadlock over the premiership following last year’s parliamentary elections. Trump endorsed



al-Zaidi for the job after he threatened to cut off U.S. support for Iraq if another candidate became the country's next prime minister.

“Mark my words, I knew what I was doing,” Trump said in the Oval Office as he sat alongside al-Zaidi for his first visit outside Iraq as prime minister. “This man is going to be a great leader in the Middle East, beyond Iraq. His influence is going to spread all throughout the Middle East.”