A little-known Iraqi tycoon named Ali Al Zaidi has emerged as the likely next prime minister of Iraq with the backing of President Trump, who has invited the businessman to Washington and said the U.S. “is with him all the way.” The White House endorsement has come with a demand that Zaidi exclude Iranian-backed militias from Iraq’s next government and curtail Tehran’s influence in Baghdad. Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8