Statement from the Office of the Vice President

"President Trump and Vice President Pence made restoring the rights and property of Iraq's Christian and Yazidi communities, who were nearly wiped out by ISIS' genocidal campaign against them, a top and unceasing priority of their administration.

To save what remains of these ancient and proud peoples, President Trump directed the United States government to stop using slow, ineffective and wasteful United Nations programs and to instead distribute assistance through USAID in order to provide faster and more direct aid to Christian and Yazidi communities in Iraq.

While progress has been made to help these beleaguered people, there is more to do to fulfill the commitments made to them and not to mention - our own consciences.

The Vice President will not tolerate bureaucratic delays in implementing the Administration's vision to deliver the assistance we promised to the people we pledged to help.

The Vice President directed USAID Administrator Mark Green to travel to Iraq in the coming weeks to report back with an immediate comprehensive assessment addressing any issues that could delay the process of aid distribution."

-Alyssa Farah

Press Secretary for Vice President Mike Pence