The White House told Newsmax on Thursday it will not make "any specific changes in U.S. policy" toward Iraq, despite election results this weekend that were nothing short of a shock to the U.S.
The Sairon Alliance headed by firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a sworn enemy of the U.S. now allied with the Communist Party of Iraq, placed first in races for the 328 seats in the Council of Representatives (parliament).
Placing second in the parliamentary races was the Fateh Alliance, headed by warlord and one-time Iranian client Hadi al-Amiri.
Making the news worse for the White House was the weak third place finish of the ruling Nasr Coalitoin headed by U.S.-supported Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.
What is the U.S. attitude on a government in Bagdad, we asked White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, that will have either al-Sadr or al-Amiri as key players?
"I'll start with the fact I'm glad you said the names and not me," Sanders joked, "because I probably wouldn’t have gotten them right."
She then said "in terms of our policy, we don’t have any new policy announcements with a potential change there."
Pressed by Newsmax to answer whether the Administration did not care if al-Sadr or al-Amiri was in power, Sanders replied: "Certainly we care, but I don't have any specific changes in U.S. policy while that's happening."
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.