US Special Envoy to Iraq Mark Saweeya Removed Amid Mismanagement Allegations
Reuters: Mark Saweeya, who was appointed as the US Special Envoy to Iraq by President Donald Trump in October last year, is no longer holding this position, according to sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. However, Washington officials have not publicly confirmed this change so far.
According to these sources, it remains unclear what factors led to Saweeya’s removal and whether an official successor has been appointed. One informed source cited “mismanagement” of key issues by Saweeya as the reason behind the decision.
Based on this account, Saweeya was criticized for his inability to prevent the emergence of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as the leading candidate for the future premiership – a development that President Trump had previously warned Baghdad about explicitly concerning its consequences, Reuters reported.
An informed source and a senior Iraqi official told Reuters that Tom Barrett, the US Ambassador to Turkey and Washington’s Special Envoy for Syrian Affairs, might take over responsibility for the Iraq portfolio at the State Department. Barrett had traveled to Erbil earlier this week to meet with Syrian Democratic Forces.
Reuters added that Barrett’s spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, and the US State Department referred questions to the White House. The White House has not offered any explanation regarding Saweeya’s status or named a potential successor.
In response, Saweeya denied any change in his position on Thursday in an interview with Reuters, stating that he is still undergoing administrative procedures to officially assume the role and claimed this process would conclude shortly.
However, Saweeya’s account on the social media platform X, previously active, has been inaccessible since Thursday. He did not respond to subsequent Reuters messages on Friday and Saturday seeking clarification.
Previously involved in managing a marijuana-related business in Detroit and known for his close ties to Trump, Saweeya was considered an unexpected choice for the envoy role due to lack of diplomatic background. Two sources said he has not made any official trip to Iraq since his appointment.
Additionally, two Iraqi officials said Saweeya was scheduled to travel to Baghdad last Friday to meet senior Iraqi officials, but the trip and meetings were abruptly canceled. These developments follow Trump’s warning that Washington would withdraw support for Iraq if Nouri al-Maliki returned to the premiership.
