A former Iraqi official, who was honored and received an award under the Biden administration, has been placed on the United States government’s “Terror Watchlist” and had her visa revoked, according to multiple reports.
Taif Sami Mohammed Al Shakarchi, who previously served as Iraq’s Minister of Finance, had her visa revoked “this week,” the State Department confirmed to Fox News. While the State Department did not confirm to the outlet “when Mohammed was placed on the terrorist watchlist,” Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson praised the “Trump State Department” for revoking the visas of “foreigners who threaten our nation.”
“While the Biden State Department shamefully celebrated and awarded foreigners who threaten our nation, the Trump State Department revokes their visas and ensures these individuals are removed from our country,” Johnson explained to the outlet.
Mohammed being added to the U.S. government’s “Terror Watchlist” and having her visa revoked comes after she received “the State Department’s International Women of Courage Award in 2022.”
First lady Dr. Jill Biden delivers remarks at the 16th Annual International Women of Courage ceremony at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2022. (State Department/Freddie Everett)
Former Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Mohammed, who served as “Iraq’s deputy finance minister” at the time of her award, as having “stopped bribes,” according to the outlet:
At the time, Mohammed was Iraq’s deputy finance minister and director general of its budget department. The State Department described her as a “frontline leader against corrupt practices” who had been integral to preventing corruption in Iraq’s budget.
Blinken went further during the March 2022 awards ceremony, saying Mohammed had “stopped bribes” and uncovered efforts to inflate government payrolls and enrich corrupt officials.
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks at the 16th Annual International Women of Courage ceremony with first lady Dr. Jill Biden at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, on March 14, 2022. (State Department/Freddie Everett)
Fox News reported that according to a report from IraqiNews on August 9, 2025, Mohammed was later placed “on a judicial wanted list” after “an Iraqi court” summoned her, as an investigation into corruption was conducted.
In a press release on Friday, the State Department noted that Mohammed “was presented an award by the Biden Administration for her purported role in fight corruption and her advocacy for ‘gender equity.’”
