Executive Order 13541: Temporary Organization To Facilitate a Strategic Partnership With the Republic of Iraq
President: Barack Obama
Created a temporary State Department organization to coordinate the civilian transition and strategic partnership with Iraq.
Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 13541 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13541 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.
What does Executive Order 13541 do?
EO 13541 used temporary-organization authority to support implementation of the US–Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement as US military responsibilities shifted to civilian agencies. It authorized temporary hiring and coordination under State and was designed to terminate after the transition period.
Later evidence reviewed September 23, 2026: US forces completed the principal withdrawal and the temporary mission wound down. State Department — US relations with Iraq. Withdrawal and the end of the temporary mission are implementation history, not a judicial ruling on the original order.
Before and after
Before the order
Military-led structures carried substantial reconstruction and coordination duties.
After the order
A temporary civilian organization supported the diplomatic and program transition.
Who had to do what
| Agency / office | Action | Timing / position |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary of State | Establish and supervise the organization | Completed |
| Temporary staff | Coordinate transition and partnership work | Completed |
| Agencies | Provide assistance under existing authority | Completed |
What happened next
EO 13541 created the organization.
US forces completed the principal withdrawal and the temporary mission wound down.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
Appropriations, the Strategic Framework Agreement and agency statutes controlled programs. Temporary hiring authority did not create permanent offices.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- State Department — US relations with Iraq (opens in a new tab) Official record
- U.S. Code — temporary organizations (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 23, 2026. How we research →