Iraqi politicians call to expel US troops following Trump visit

US President Donald Trump's surprise visit to Iraq on Dec. 26 — and his break with protocol by not meeting his Iraqi counterpart — has caused an uproar among politicians in Baghdad, with parliamentarians demanding the expulsion of US troops. 

The US president landed directly at al-Asad US military base in Iraq's Anbar province to meet troops for the Christmas holiday. He did not, however, visit Baghdad nor meet any Iraqi officials.

Trump's first visit to Iraq comes after he faced criticism at home from the public and some in the US military for not visiting American troops in conflict zones since taking office in January 2017. This visit was brief, with Trump spending only a little over three hours at the base, and he visited no other sites in the country.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi was the only Iraqi official to spoke with Trump during the visit, in a phone conversation at the end of his trip. The two had planned to meet, but the meeting was canceled due to disagreement over the location. Trump wanted Abdul Mahdi to meet him at the US base, while the Iraqi premier insisted Trump come to Baghdad.