Trump, in his latest blatant intervention in another country's politics, said that Iraq would make a "very bad choice" with Maliki, who has been nominated by the largest Shiite bloc.

"Last time Maliki was in power, the Country descended into poverty and total chaos. That should not be allowed to happen again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"Because of his insane policies and ideologies, if elected, the United States of America will no longer help Iraq," he said.

"If we are not there to help, Iraq has ZERO chance of Success, Prosperity, or Freedom. MAKE IRAQ GREAT AGAIN!" he wrote.

Maliki left power in 2014 following pressure from the United States, which blamed his nakedly sectarian Shiite agenda for giving rise to the Islamic State group of Sunni extremists.

The United States wields key leverage over Iraq as the country's oil export revenue is largely held at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, in an arrangement reached after the 2003 US invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.