Iraq’s main Shia alliance, the Coordination Framework, reaffirmed its backing for former Prime Minister Nouri al‑Maliki on January 31, defying direct warnings from Donald Trump, who threatened to cut U.S. aid if Maliki returned to power. The bloc—widely seen as pro‑Iran and comprising parties linked to armed groups—declared that selecting a prime minister was a “purely Iraqi constitutional matter,” rejecting what it called foreign meddling. Trump’s warning marked another instance of U.S. pressure on Iraqi politics, as Washington seeks to limit Tehran’s influence in Baghdad. Watch for more.