Trump threatens sanctions on Baghdad after lawmakers call on US troops to leave

US President Donald Trump on Sunday threatened sanctions against Baghdad, after Iraq's parliament called on US troops to leave the country, and said that if troops were forced to leave, Baghdad would have to pay Washington for the cost of the air base there.

“We have a very extraordinarily expensive air base that’s there. It cost billions of dollars to build, long before my time. We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it," Trump told reporters on Air Force One, according to Reuters.

Trump said that if Iraq asked US forces to leave and it was not done on a friendly basis, "we will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever. It’ll make Iranian sanctions look somewhat tame.”

Trump also vowed "major retaliation" if Tehran launches attacks to avenge Soleimani.