The election of Donald Trump as president for the second time and the steps he will take in that office are widely discussed in countries other than the United States. Brother Türkiye also expects a lot from Trump’s presidency.
“Caspian” newspaper article on the subject.
The first period full of contradictions
Should Türkiye be happy or worried about Trump’s return? It is still difficult to find an answer to the question. What happened between both countries during the first period of his presidency is often remembered. More precisely, there were many contradictions. For example, in 2018, Trump’s threats against Türkiye on social media caused a sharp devaluation in Ankara. Additionally, Trump called Recep Tayyip Erdogan “a man I know very well, who loves his country and, as he says, does the right thing for his country.” It seems plausible that such statements will also be made in the second term. It is commendable that the president of Türkiye was one of the first to congratulate Donald Trump.
An unpleasant message
There are many problems between the United States and Türkiye. Türkiye wants the United States to withdraw its troops from Syria and stop supporting PKK-affiliated forces. Trump promised to fulfill these wishes of Erdogan during his first presidency, but this did not happen. Erdogan wants to hope that this time Trump keeps the promise he made years ago. However, spreading the news that leaders of the Syrian wing of the PKK were invited to Trump’s inauguration sends a bad message to Ankara.
In this context, Erdogan is hopeful that Trump will visit Ankara. He said that Trump made positive statements about Türkiye and that is why he hopes that the invitation to visit him will be accepted.
What does the new team promise to Ankara?
There is no doubt that the people chosen by the Trump team will affect relations with Türkiye. For example, he nominated Mark Rubio for Secretary of State. Rubio is memorable for his speeches against Türkiye. This person has always been against Ankara, from the Syrian crisis to other issues. Pete Hegsett, who will be appointed head of the Pentagon, and Mike Waltz, national security advisor, are still not completely clear about their relations with Türkiye. Jewish billionaire Howard Lutnik will head Trump’s new 4,000-strong presidential administration. Many cabinet ministers, such as billionaire Elon Musk and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, favor peace. President Erdoğan said that they are analyzing who is in Trump’s cabinet, their approach and preparations are based on that: “The main thing is what they did after assuming the responsibility of power. We want to believe what Trump said about the end of wars, and we hope that you will take steps in this direction.
Trump will not take an anti-Turkish line
Most believe that Trump will not take an anti-Turkish line. It is also expected that he will not talk about the so-called Armenian genocide. In general, Trump is not a politician who works with the “Armenian card.” Regarding Trump’s support for the YPG and PYD forces in Syria, it is true that the United States provides funding to these groups. But everything will be clear after January 20. The Turkish president will most likely attend the inauguration and meet with Trump. But if the United States continues to cooperate with the PKK in Syria, problems in its relations with Türkiye will continue.
Erdogan is the only leader who can talk to Putin, Zelensky and Trump
Trump’s victory may lead Turkey to activate mediation efforts aimed at resolving the Ukraine conflict. Let us remember that one of Trump’s main promises during the election campaign was to end the conflict in Ukraine. Putin expected Trump to win and hoped to sit at the table for peace talks with Zelensky, who had lost US support. This process can put President Erdogan in the spotlight, as he is the only leader who can talk to Putin, Zelensky and Trump.
Ukraine is believed to have every chance of ending the war next year. Zelensky also noted that this will be possible in January. In turn, the Turkish president expressed his confidence in the possibility of resolving the conflict in Ukraine soon, but only on the condition that Donald Trump’s administration shows political will to do so. It is believed that the efforts of some Western countries, led by the United States, to end the war in Ukraine will accelerate the resolution of this conflict. Türkiye believes that more guns, bombs and chaos will not end this war. On the contrary, dialogue, diplomacy and agreements open the door to peace. The reality is that Türkiye managed to bring both parties to the negotiating table. He has done it many times. “We have focused all our efforts on achieving peace and we will continue our work in this direction,” said the Turkish leader.
