President Donald Trump on Monday praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as “very smart” during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House. Trump suggested he could mediate between Israel and Turkey amid tensions over Syria.
“I happen to like him, and he likes me,” Trump said of Erdoğan, adding, “Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve.”
The comments came after Israel accused Turkey of playing a negative role in Syria following the collapse of the Assad regime — a development for which Trump credited Erdoğan.
Critics, including the group Republicans Against Trump, condemned the praise for Erdoğan, calling him an autocrat. Human rights organizations have criticized Erdoğan’s recent detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and over 100 officials, calling it politically motivated.
Trump’s comments align with his pattern of praising authoritarian leaders, including Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un, during his previous term.
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