President Donald Trump disclosed a rare request he made of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Erdogan agreed to it, according to Maariv. Trump, hosting the NATO secretary-general at the White House, criticized Europe sharply but praised the Turkish leader, calling him a "great leader" and a "very strong man." He hinted: "I will probably do something that will make him very happy."
President Donald Trump revealed on Thursday that he had made an unusual request to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and that Erdogan agreed, according to a report by Maariv. The disclosure came during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Trump sharply criticized European allies but praised Erdogan, calling him a "great leader" and a "very strong man." He added: "I will probably do something that will make him very happy." The precise nature of the request and the hinted forthcoming action were not detailed.
This is the latest in a series of Trump statements expressing admiration for the Turkish leader. As The Zioneer has reported, Trump previously called Erdogan a "great leader" and said he asked him not to join the war against Iran — a request Erdogan honored. Last week, Trump said he "loves" Erdogan and thanked him for staying out of the conflict. The president has also indicated he will attend the NATO summit in Ankara, and Erdogan has said Trump's participation is important for alliance unity.
The request revealed Thursday appears distinct from past interactions, but remains unspecified. The remark adds to a pattern of Trump singling out Erdogan for personal praise, even as he criticizes other NATO members.
2 developments
- DevelopingTrump says he will speak with Turkey, calls Erdogan 'great'
- DevelopingReport: Trump tells Erdogan he's coming to NATO summit in July just for him
- StrongTrump: Erdogan 'great leader,' could have joined Iran war but I asked him not to
- DevelopingErdogan says Trump's attendance at NATO Ankara summit important for alliance unity
Source and signal
- Internal intake