Why is Trump Courting Erdogan?A dangerous gamble.July 16, 2026 by Hugh Fitzgerald Donald Trump has often proclaimed his admiration for Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with whom he says he has “a very good relationship.” He hasn’t a bad word to say for Erdogan, whom he has called “a strong man,” a “hell of a leader,” a “great leader, a “good friend.” He has also called him an “extraordinary leader” and a “tough cookie.” You know — the kind of guy Trump likes, just because he is tough. It’s the same reason that explains his admiration for Vladimir Putin. Apparently Trump does not know or care that two years ago, Erdogan predicted that there might be a war “between the Crescent and the Cross,” and he left no doubt as to which side he would be on. And Erdogan has also floated the idea of creating a pan-Islamic military force strong enough to destroy the Jewish state, again hinting that Turkey would take the leading role.
More on the U.S. and other NATO members courting Erdogan can be found here: “Turkey’s Erdogan is waging war on the West and Israel – NATO must not ignore it – opinion,” by David M. Weinberg, Jerusalem Post, July 4, 2026:
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to host NATO leaders in Ankara next week. Unbelievably, American and European leaders are revving up their engines to coddle, cradle, and embrace this radical, antisemitic, viciously anti-Western and anti-Israeli dictator.
Washington just announced that it will ship 80 engines to Ankara, worth more than $700 million for Turkey’s homegrown fighter jet, and it is positively considering letting Turkey back into the F-35 jet program (from which it was expelled in 2019 over its purchases of Russian S-400 air defense systems).
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https://www.frontpagemag.com/why-is-trump-courting-erdogan/
