What does the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at George W Bush's head say now? Find out in this week's DC Insider newsletter

By NICK ALLEN, US NEWS EDITOR (POLITICS) Published: 23:43, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 23:55, 12 August 2026 In 2008, President George W Bush made a surprise visit to Baghdad and held a press conference. Suddenly, an Iraqi journalist stood up and flung his shoes at the president's head, yelling: 'This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog!' President Bush showed some lightning-quick reactions, ducking and avoided being hit. The incident reverberated across the world, setting off copycat protests from India to Cambridge University. But what happened to Muntadhar al-Zaidi, the journalist turned show-thrower? We spoke to him 18 years on to see what he thinks about it now, and whether he would do it again. Muntadhar al-Zaidi, then a 29-year-old journalist for Al-Baghdadia TV, throws his shoe at President George W. Bush DC Insider is the Daily Mail's sharp, witty, and well-connected guide to the people, plots, and power plays shaping Washington. Delivered to your inbox every Thursday afternoon, it brings you exclusive reporting, juicy gossip, behind-the-scenes color, and the stories everyone in politics is really talking about.