President Donald Trump appealed to Iraqis on Tuesday to not reinstate the controversial former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to a new term because of his alleged corruption and severe mismanagement of the country’s economy and security situation.

Trump wrote on the Truth Social platform: "I’m hearing that the Great Country of Iraq might make a very bad choice by reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki as Prime Minister. Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again. Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq and, if we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!" 

A parliamentary session was slated for Tuesday to elect a president, who would then appoint the prime minister. The meeting was canceled because of a lack of a quorum.

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Al-Maliki fired back at Trump on Wednesday, stating, "We reject the blatant American interference in Iraq’s internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty."

The Trump administration vehemently opposes al-Maliki attempts to secure a third term because of his close ties to the Islamic Republic of Iran — a state-sponsor of terrorism, according to the U.S. State Department.

Al-Maliki’s previous premiership (2006 to 2014) was plagued by sectarian violence, including his reported failure to form an inclusive government that did not discriminate against Iraqi Kurds and Sunni Muslims in favor of Shiite Muslims.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told caretaker Prime Minister al-Sudani on Sunday that the U.S. was concerned about a pro-Iran government seizing control of the Iraqi state.

"The Secretary emphasized that a government controlled by Iran cannot successfully put Iraq’s own interests first, keep Iraq out of regional conflicts, or advance the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States and Iraq," said U.S. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

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Al-Maliki ended his second term in 2014 after the Obama administration’s growing frustration with his security blind spots that saw the rise of the Islamic State in the same year across a large swathe of Iraqi and Syrian territory. 

Al-Sudani secured the most seats in November’s parliamentary elections but withdrew his candidacy this month. The 75-year-old al-Maliki, from the  Shiite Islamist Dawa Party, tossed his hat in the political ring and won the support of the Coordination Framework, a collection of Shia parties that is the largest parliamentary bloc.

Entifadh Qanbar, a former spokesman for the deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, told Fox News Digital that "Iran has exercised tremendous influence over Iraq. Ayatollah Khamenei personally ‘blessed’ Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination. Even if Maliki is ultimately dropped, Iran will simply nominate another candidate who is secretly acceptable to Washington. That individual may even be given leeway to say the right things publicly in order to appease the U.S., while remaining fully aligned with Tehran behind the scenes."

Qanbar, who worked as a civil engineer in Iraq, added, "As for the Iraqi elections, the process itself has been systematically engineered to ensure that Iran’s proxies win without meaningful resistance. These elections are not contests between Iranian-backed factions and genuine alternatives; rather, they are mechanisms to divide votes among groups already approved by Iran. Any real dissent has been banned, imprisoned, or eliminated."

He noted that "I have often used the analogy that Iraqi elections resemble a soccer match with only one goal, no goalkeeper and only one team allowed on the field," and warned, "the United States fails to see these structural manipulations."

An Iraqi Kurdish official also echoed the view that Iran has gained greater control of Iraqi power politics. The official told Fox News Digital that, "Under Sudani’s government, Iran’s proxies have doubled on the state payroll and receive over $3 billion a year. He established the Muhandes company — the PMF’s investment wing, securing public contracts and buying weapons."

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is an umbrella organization of Shiite militias loyal to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The PMF wields enormous power in Iraq.

The Iraqi Kurdish official said, "Economically, Iran’s oil blending in Basra has been formalized with official state support. Financially, Iraq’s state and private banks have funneled billions in U.S. dollar bills into Iran under Sudani, bringing Tehran critical relief against U.S. sanctions."

The official added, "Iran, of course, has always been ahead of the curve in Iraq. When the pro-Western candidate Ayad Allawi beat Maliki in the 2010 elections, it was the Americans who handed Maliki a second term — an odd moment of alignment with Iran against their own preferred outcome." He said he hopes the U.S. won't make the same mistake again.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Wednesday it has begun moving ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraqi-controlled facilities as part of a broader effort to prevent the terror group's resurgence and maintain long-term security in the region.

CENTCOM said U.S. forces transported 150 ISIS fighters who were being held at a detention facility in Hasakah, Syria, to a secure location in Iraq, with up to 7,000 detainees potentially slated for transfer.

"We are closely coordinating with regional partners, including the Iraqi government, and we sincerely appreciate their role in ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS," said Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander. "Facilitating the orderly and secure transfer of ISIS detainees is critical to preventing a breakout that would pose a direct threat to the United States and regional security."

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The announcement comes one day after Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, said Damascus is prepared to assume security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps.

The State Department said in a 2025 report to Congress that roughly 8,400 ISIS-affiliated detainees from more than 70 countries are being held in detention facilities run by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the largest of which is the al-Hol camp.

Barrack helped broker a fragile four-day ceasefire agreement Tuesday between the new interim Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, and the Kurdish-led SDF, after escalating clashes threatened to spiral further.

The U.S. official said the Trump administration does not seek a long-term military presence in Syria, emphasizing the need instead for a continued focus on defeating remaining ISIS elements.

"The deal integrates SDF fighters into the national military (as individuals, which remains among the most contentious issues), hand over key infrastructure (oil fields, dams, border crossings), and cede control of ISIS prisons and camps to Damascus," Barrack wrote on X.

"This creates a unique window for the Kurds: integration into the new Syrian state offers full citizenship rights (including for those previously stateless), recognition as an integral part of Syria, constitutional protections for Kurdish language and culture (e.g., teaching in Kurdish, celebrating Nawruz as a national holiday), and participation in governance—far beyond the semi-autonomy the SDF held amid civil war chaos," he added.

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Syria’s Ministry of Interior said Monday that security forces had recaptured 81 of the 120 ISIS prisoners who escaped from the al-Shaddadi prison in the Hasakah countryside and were continuing efforts to track down the remaining escapees.

The interim government and the SDF have since traded blame over responsibility for the escape, which occurred amid heightened tensions over security arrangements in the region.

U.S. troops have pulled out of Ain al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Fox News has learned.

The withdrawal from the base, part of an ongoing effort to consolidate troops in the region that was announced last fall, was completed by Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) sources told Fox News. 

"We're able to consolidate because of the significant progress made there. ISIS in Iraq doesn't pose a threat beyond Iraq's capacity to handle on their own," a U.S. official told Fox News. The official added that it speaks to "our success in rooting out the ISIS threat in Iraq and Iraqi forces' willingness and progress in standing on their own."

The official added that U.S. forces are consolidating outside of federal Iraqi territory, meaning they’re concentrating forces elsewhere to focus on engaging remnants of ISIS in Syria. 

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The move comes as CENTCOM is calling for cooperation and teamwork among Syrian partners in coordination with American forces to combat ISIS.

"We welcome ongoing efforts by all parties in Syria to prevent escalation and pursue resolution through dialogue. We also urge Syrian government forces to cease any offensive actions in areas between Aleppo and al-Tabqa. Aggressively pursuing ISIS and relentlessly applying military pressure requires teamwork among Syrian partners and coordination with U.S. and coalition forces. A Syria at peace with itself and its neighbors is essential to peace and stability across the region," Adm. Brad Cooper, CENTCOM commander, said in a statement posted on X.

The statement appeared to be a call for additional coordination in countering ISIS rather than a warning to Damascus.

On Jan. 10, CENTCOM announced that the U.S., alongside partner forces, conducted large-scale strikes against ISIS targets in Syria. 

According to CENTCOM, the strikes were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was announced on Dec. 19, 2025, at the direction of President Donald Trump. The operation was launched "in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on U.S. and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria," CENTCOM said in a statement.

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The Jan. 10 strikes came as U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said he met in Damascus with Syria’s new leadership to discuss the country’s future.

"Today, on behalf of President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, I met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, and members of their team in Damascus," Barrack wrote on X.

Barrack said the talks focused on "recent developments in Aleppo and the broader path forward for Syria’s historic transition," adding that the United States "welcomes Syria’s historic transition and extends its support to the Syrian government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa."

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War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the launch of Operation Hawkeye Strike in December, saying it was in response to an attack on U.S. forces in Syria Dec. 13. 

Hegseth said the actions were "not the beginning of a war" but rather "a declaration of vengeance."

"Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria," Hegseth wrote on X.

On Dec. 19, American military forces employed more than 100 precision munitions to strike more than 70 targets of suspected ISIS sites at several locations across the ancient city of Palmyra in central Syria.

Trump previously vowed revenge on the terror group after the soldiers — Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa — and interpreter Ayad Mansoor Sakat of Michigan were killed while conducting a key leader engagement, part of their mission in support of ongoing counter-ISIS/counter-terrorism operations in the region.

The gunman was killed by partner forces.

"Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible," Trump wrote on Truth Social Dec. 19.

Fox News Digital's Jasmine Baehr and Louis Casiano, and Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

Armed Kurdish separatist groups tried to cross into Iran from Iraq in recent days, stoking fears that the country’s spiraling unrest has attracted dangerous foreign militants who could destabilize the wider region, according to reports.

Iranian officials said the attempted breach came amid a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests against the country’s regime, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leading the response, Reuters reported.

The Tasnim News Agency also reported armed militia groups operating in Iraq crossed the border in western and northwestern Iran, according to Middle East Monitor.

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Reuters had reported that three sources, including a senior Iranian official, said Turkey’s intelligence agency, known as MIT, warned the IRGC that Kurdish fighters were trying to cross the Iran-Iraq border.

The Iranian official said clashes also broke out after the attempt to cross and accused the fighters of trying to exploit the unrest and create further instability.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, around 30 million Kurds live in the Middle East, mainly in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.

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Turkey has designated Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq as terrorist organizations and has carried out cross-border military operations against them. The Turkish military has also targeted PKK bases in Iraq.

In 2025, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) said it would disarm and end its decades-long battle against Turkey.

Reuters said MIT and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's office did not comment on the Iran crossing, though it warned that any interference in Iran would inflame regional crises.

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Iranian authorities alleged the fighters were dispatched from Iraq and Turkey and said the Iranian regime has asked both governments to stop any transfer of fighters or weapons into Iran.

The number of deaths during the crackdown on protesters rose to at least 2,571 on Wednesday, accordin g to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told the killings had halted, and he believes there is no plan for large-scale executions. 

Asked who told him, Trump said they were "very important sources on the other side."

Iran closed its airspace to most flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, with the closure lasting a little more than two hours.