Based on an analysis of 402 Facebook posts by Miqrab AI on January 20, 2025, the most prominent themes circulating in Iraq involved a mix of international and domestic affairs. Widespread attention was given to the inauguration of Donald Trump in the United States and his initial policy declarations. Domestically, major economic news about the discovery of a massive oil reserve in central Iraq generated significant positive discussion. Concurrently, Iraqi government activities, particularly those led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani concerning development projects and election preparations, were actively reported. While these stories were covered across multiple pages, a single post criticizing the lavish design and cost of a new school building achieved the highest individual engagement, sparking considerable public debate.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Trump’s Inauguration and First Decisions Dominate Feeds

Iraqi Facebook pages extensively covered Donald Trump’s inauguration, focusing on his first speech and key policy statements. The page Baghdad (Post Impact: 5%) provided a detailed list of 22 of Trump’s initial declarations, which included securing the U.S. southern border, boosting oil drilling, ending foreign wars, and building the world’s strongest military. Specific social policies also drew attention, with pages like Iraqeen W Bas – Iraqis Only (Post Impact: 3%) and Ahmed Al-Thawaq (Post Impact: 1%) highlighting his assertion that “there are only two genders: male and female.” The page Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 5%) pointed out that other leaders were already congratulating Trump and questioned why the Iraqi government had not yet done so.

2. Massive Oil Reserve Discovered in Central Iraq

Significant positive news circulated about a major economic development, as announced by the Midland Oil Company. Multiple pages, including Al-Khuwa Al-Nadhifa – The Clean Brotherhood (Post Impact: 13%) and Al-Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 5%), reported the discovery of the largest oil reserve in central Iraq, estimated to contain two billion barrels. This news was framed as a major boon for the nation’s economy. Other pages like Ahmed Al-Thawaq (Post Impact: 2%) and Rusly Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 1%) also shared the announcement, contributing to its wide dissemination.

3. PM Sudani Pushes Key Projects and Election Preparations

The official activities of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani were a key topic, with his office and government-affiliated pages providing updates on major initiatives. His official page, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (Post Impact: 6%), reported that he chaired a meeting for the new Sadr City project, directing relevant bodies to move forward with the first phase of 11,000 housing units. In a separate meeting covered by the Independent High Electoral Commission (Post Impact: 4%) and the Media Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister (Post Impact: 3%), the Prime Minister met with the IHEC to affirm the government’s full support for the upcoming general elections and instructed the Ministry of Finance to provide the necessary funding.

4. Controversial Lavish School Project Sparks Debate

A single video post by Haider Al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 100%) achieved the highest engagement of the day, sparking a widespread debate over government spending and priorities. The video showcased a new educational facility with a surprisingly grand and expensive design, prompting the page to question its cost and purpose. Al-Hamdani’s post directly addressed the government, asking, “Where is Sudani’s government from this school?” which resonated strongly with the audience, who expressed shock and skepticism about the allocation of public funds for such an elaborate project.

5. Iraqi Student Invents Rapid Breast Cancer Detector

Positive news about a young Iraqi innovator was shared by pages Baghdad (Post Impact: 5%) and Abu Al-Arif (Post Impact: 3%). They celebrated Baraa Fahmi Al-Qazzaz, a student from Mosul, for inventing a device capable of detecting breast cancer with 99.5% accuracy in just five seconds. The posts noted that this achievement in artificial intelligence earned him third place globally at the World Robot Olympiad in Turkey, portraying it as a proud moment for Iraqi science and innovation.

6. Mohammed Al-Halbousi’s Diplomatic and Local Engagements

The political activities of Mohammed Al-Halbousi, head of the Taqaddum Party, were reported on his official Facebook page. A post from Mohammed Al-Halbousi (Post Impact: 14%) detailed his meeting with the Jordanian Ambassador to Iraq, Maher Al-Tarawneh, where they discussed bilateral relations and regional issues. Another post from the same account Mohammed Al-Halbousi (Post Impact: 1%) highlighted his community outreach, showing him on a tour in Abu Ghraib meeting with local sheikhs and residents.

7. Muqtada al-Sadr Monitors Activities of Sadrist Movement

The activities of Muqtada al-Sadr and his affiliated groups were covered by their official channels. The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 6%) reported that al-Sadr was following the work of the Committee for the Affairs of Workers, Mujahideen, and Martyrs’ Families and directed followers to support the “Al-Bunyan Al-Marsous” cultural project. In related news, the Saraya al-Salam – Central Media Directorate (Post Impact: 2%) announced that Haj Abu Mustafa al-Hamidawi, a senior aide, conducted a surprise inspection of Saraya al-Salam forces in the Samarra operational sector.

8. Iraqi-American Alina Habba Becomes Trump’s Legal Counsel

A specific story related to the new U.S. administration that gained traction was the appointment of Alina Habba, a lawyer of Iraqi descent, as an official legal counsel for President Trump. Pages such as Al-Khuwa Al-Nadhifa – The Clean Brotherhood (Post Impact: 5%) and Baghdad (Post Impact: 2%) shared this news, highlighting her Iraqi origins as she took the constitutional oath. The appointment was presented as a noteworthy event for the Iraqi diaspora.

9. Diyala Announces and Clarifies 7,000 Job Postings

Local news pages for the Diyala governorate were focused on the process of filling 7,000 government job vacancies. The page Diyala Diyala TV (Post Impact: 5%) issued an important clarification, stating that the list of 7,000 names that was published represented all applicants, not the final list of those accepted. The page explained that a screening process based on points would follow this initial announcement. Other local sources, including Sharq Al-Iraq – East of Iraq (Post Impact: 1%), also shared details on the application process and distribution across the province.

10. Baghdad to Get Waste-to-Energy Plant from Chinese Company

News of a new, environmentally friendly infrastructure project for the capital was shared by pages like Bekhedmatak – At Your Service (Post Impact: 4%) and Al-Qasr Al-Hukoumi – The Government Palace (Post Impact: 1%). They reported that the Chinese company Shanghai SUS Environment Co. Ltd. has officially received its investment license to begin work on a power generation station that will convert waste into electricity. The posts celebrated the project as the first of its kind in Iraq, emphasizing its role in creating clean energy and reducing reliance on traditional fossil fuels.