WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is welcoming Iraq’s prime minister to the White House for their first meeting since Trump assumed office.
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi posed for photos in the White House driveway and the Oval Office before the pair commenced bilateral meetings.
Al-Abadi’s visit comes as Trump prepares to host a 68-nation meeting geared toward advancing the fight against the Islamic State group.
Trump campaigned on a promise to dramatically ramp up the assault on IS and has vowed to eradicate “radical Islamic terrorism.”
But the extent of Trump’s commitment to helping war-torn Iraq remains to be seen amid significant proposed budget cuts for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
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