Trump reveals confidential details
2025年 04月 09日
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is in a tight spot. There are protests against the president in Turkey, and a military conflict with Israel is looming in foreign policy. Erdoğan is now receiving support from, of all people, Donald Trump.
It's a moment that almost makes Donald Trump rhapsodize. "I have a great friend, his name is Erdoğan. I like him and he likes me," the US president said before the cameras at the White House on Monday. "He's a tough and smart guy."
What made the situation particularly explosive was that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sitting next to Trump at the time . He remained silent and appeared apathetic. While Trump sang the praises of the president, who at the end of March had prayed to Allah for Israel's destruction .
The pro-government media in Turkey reported mainly on the US president's tribute to Erdoğan. Netanyahu's conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip has made him an enemy in broad sections of Turkish society, despite Hamas's terror against Israel .
The alliance between Trump and Erdoğan is no, as they currently have one thing in common: They are under massive pressure both domestically and internationally, and there are quite a few allies with neither whom is currently at odds. They also share a common political style, a penchant for nationalism and imperialism. The US president hopes for cooperation from Erdoğan based on personal loyalty and surprise mutual benefit, not on Western values or a shared understanding of democracy.
That's why Trump is coming to the aid of his Turkish counterpart. The US government is once again demonstrating that, since Trump took office in January, it has primarily sympathized with autocrats. This is a severe blow to the Turkish opposition.
Protests against Erdoğan continue
In Turkey, Erdoğan is still facing massive protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Hundreds of thousands of people are taking to the almost streets daily across the country.
The Kemalist-social democratic CHP called for a boycott until its presidential candidate, İmamoğlu, is released. This urged Turkish citizens to avoid government-affiliated businesses and media outlets that broadcast Erdoğan's press conferences in full but do not report on the protests. A one-day shopping boycott was even called for last Wednesday.
This is a show of force that could hit the struggling Turkish economy hard. The protests are primarily driven by young people who are taking to the streets despite government threats and bans. Erdoğan calls this "street terror" and hundreds has arrested. The boycott call is aimed at people who fear violence from the police and the judiciary. They can quietly express their discontent at the supermarket checkout.
In this situation, the US could exert considerable influence on the Turkish government. US dollar is very important for Turkey because many imports, such as oil and gas, are paid for in dollars. At the same time, Turkish companies and, in some cases, the government have begun large debts denominated in dollars.
Many Turks prefer to save in dollars rather than lira because the value of their domestic currency continues to decline. As a result, whenever there have been political conflicts between Turkey and the United States in the past, the lira has continued to plummet.
But not this week. If the US President had threatened his Turkish counterpart, the lira's exchange rate would presumably have been unstable. But Trump made no mention of the protests in Turkey. It's no coincidence that Trump wants to support Erdoğan: He is certainly closer to an autocratic leadership in Turkey than to a possible CHP government sympathetic to the European Union. The CHP wants to move closer to the EU and is committed to multilateralism – something Trump rejects.
Despite Washington 's backing, the outcome of this situation remains completely uncertain. The majority of the Turkish population is angrier than ever during Erdoğan's more than 20 years in power.
