Trump names Michigan entrepreneur Mark Savaya special envoy to Iraq, drawing mixed reactions

BAGHDAD – U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday named Mark Savaya, a Michigan-based owner of a cannabis dispensary and longtime Trump supporter, as Special Envoy to Iraq, a move that has drawn mixed reactions in Baghdad and Washington for its unconventional nature and timing.

“I’m pleased to announce that Mark Savaya will serve as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq. Mark’s deep understanding of the Iraq-U.S. relationship, and his connections in the region, will help advance the interests of the American people,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Savaya, a Chaldean entrepreneur of Iraqi descent, heads Leaf and Bud, a company specializing in the cultivation of marijuana for medical and recreational use. “Mark was a key player in my campaign in Michigan, where he, and others, helped secure a record vote with Muslim Americans,” Trump said, congratulating his new representative in Iraq.

Savaya commented on his appointment in a post on Instagram, writing, “I am deeply humbled, honored and grateful to President Donald J. Trump for appointing me as Special Envoy to the Republic of Iraq. I am committed to strengthening the U.S.–Iraq partnership under President Trump’s leadership and guidance. Thank you, Mr. President.”

The appointment followed Trump’s remarks during the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, where he said “[Iraq has] so much oil they don’t know what to do with it” after spotting Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani among the leaders. Many in Baghdad had expected the long-awaited nomination of a new U.S. ambassador instead, making the envoy appointment a surprise that some analysts interpret as a signal of a nontraditional phase in U.S.-Iraq relations.

Russian-Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was held captive for 903 days in Iraq, wrote on X, “Congratulations to Mark Savaya for this important appointment. Mark played an instrumental role in setting me free after 903 days in captivity by Kataeb Hezbollah, an Iraqi militia serving Iran, without anything given in return. This is terrible news for anyone serving Iran’s interests in Iraq and seeking to undermine Iraqi sovereignty.”

In a reply to an X user who expressed concern that militias loyal to Iran might try to manipulate Savaya, Tsurkov responded, “This is impossible. He strongly opposes the militias.”

Political observers told 964media that Savaya’s selection reflects a “special case” in bilateral ties, diverging from the Iraqi government’s claims of having reshaped relations into “a balanced and normal partnership,” particularly following the ongoing U.S. troop withdrawal.

Savaya has no background in diplomacy or politics. Known instead for his work in the U.S. cannabis industry, he told Fox2 in 2020, “It’s nice when you make it from seed and you sell it. It’s a process that we go through instead of buying it from a different cultivation center. We make our own, we want to make sure it’s a clean product, make sure that everything we do is under our monitoring.”

Sources in Baghdad said the appointment has triggered mixed reactions, with some viewing it as diminishing Iraq’s diplomatic standing, while others, particularly anti-U.S. factions, saw it as less threatening. A senior Iraqi politician told 964media that Savaya “speaks Arabic and the Iraqi dialect, has visited Baghdad several times, and has no business interests in Iraq,” adding that his familiarity with Iraqi circles offers “a relative sense of reassurance.”