Donald Trump Praises Erdoğan, Highlights Türkiye’s Role in Syria

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump lauded Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, describing him as a “friend” and someone he holds in high regard.

 

“President Erdoğan is a friend of mine. He’s a guy I like, respect. I think he respects me also,” Trump remarked during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Tuesday.

Addressing his foreign policy priorities, Trump reflected on his earlier presidency, emphasizing his efforts to steer clear of wars while managing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. He pointed to Türkiye’s pivotal role in the process, highlighting its historical and strategic influence in the region.

 

During the press conference, Trump revisited his administration’s achievements, claiming victory over Daesh in Syria and the subsequent scaling back of American troop presence in the country. When questioned about the withdrawal of approximately 2,000 U.S. troops, Trump refrained from divulging specifics, stating, “I won’t tell you that, because that’s part of a military strategy, but I will say it was Turkey.”

Trump further elaborated on Türkiye’s long-standing engagement with Syria, asserting that the country has been involved in the region for over 2,000 years under various forms and names.

“But if you look at what happened with Syria, Russia was weakened, Iran was weakened. And he’s (President Erdoğan) a very smart guy, and he sent his people in there through different forms and different names, and they went in and they took over,” Trump added.

 

The former president also claimed credit for halting Türkiye’s military operation in Syria, suggesting that his pressure influenced Ankara’s decision to cease its actions.