Why it matters: In an extraordinarily candid interview with “Axios on HBO,” Salih said he still values his country’s alliance with the U.S. 16 years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He wants to keep that alliance — but made clear that the Trump administration’s policies are making that difficult.

“The staying power of the United States is being questioned in a very, very serious way,” Salih said. “And allies of the United States are worried about the dependability of the United States.”