Trump's foreign policy picks trouble Turkey, but Erdogan ties may prevail
Some experts suggest that the personal ties between President-elect Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may lead to progress on key issues like Syria and trade during Trump’s second term.
ANKARA — President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for foreign policy and defense posts so far mark a setback for US-Turkey ties, but the personal chemistry between the incoming US president and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan may still provide transactional progress, experts say.
From the nominee for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and the director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s picks in foreign policy and national security are all known for critical stances on a number of Turkish foreign policy positions.
Erdogan, who was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump in a phone call a day after his reelection, has so far stopped short of commenting on any names directly, striking a calibrated tone.
“We need to be very careful and sensitive in this regard,” Erdogan told journalists during his return from the G20 summit in Brazil, according to an official transcript released on Wednesday. “For us, what people say and think before coming to power is not insignificant,” Erdogan said. “However, what truly matters is what they do after assuming the responsibility. We will take our steps based on concrete actions.”
