Politics Service
Realising it cannot generate social consent and having lost the support of the masses, the Palace administration has reduced its legitimacy to a photo frame with US President Trump. Yesterday’s awaited Erdoğan-Trump summit at the White House was an admission of the regime’s efforts to stay afloat by leaning on Washington, with all kinds of sacrifices made days in advance and all the country’s resources mobilised for the US and Trump.
The meeting between AKP President Erdoğan, who was in the US for the 80th UN General Assembly, and Donald Trump at the White House took place yesterday. Events leading up to the summit laid bare the government’s adoration of the US.
THEY BACKTRACKED
The Communications Directorate issued a statement regarding Erdoğan’s comments on Fox News on Monday about US President Trump’s failure to deliver on his promises to end wars. In response to US Secretary of State Rubio’s remark, ‘They are begging us to be part of the meetings,’ the Communications Directorate’s Washington Office sent a statement to Fox News saying, ‘President Erdoğan’s words were lost in translation. Erdoğan appreciated Trump’s efforts.’ Fox News stood by its translation.
WE GAVE LEGITIMACY
Tom Barrack, the US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Representative for Syria, argued that crises such as the S-400, F-35 and F-16, which have remained unresolved in Turkey-US relations for years, should be addressed on the basis of ‘legitimacy,’ sending noteworthy messages ahead of the Erdoğan-Trump meeting. Barrack stated, ‘Our President said, “I’m tired of this, let’s take a bold step in our relations and give him what he needs.”’ Barrack emphasised that Turkey is ‘the country that has purchased the most F-16s in the world,’ noting that this keeps the aerospace company Lockheed surviving. Barrack commented on the course of relations as follows: ‘Erdoğan is 71 years old. Turkey is a democracy but seems authoritarian. President Trump brilliantly said, “I must give him legitimacy as a solution”. That is happening now. I think you will see major changes as a result.’
US-based Bloomberg also published a noteworthy analysis ahead of the summit. The report highlighted that Erdoğan would be stepping foot in the White House for the first time in six years, emphasising that the meeting aimed to ease tensions between the two NATO allies. According to Bloomberg, the Turkish delegation went to the meeting with what amounted to a ‘shopping list’. Based on information from Turkish officials, Ankara’s agenda included fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, passenger aircraft from Boeing, and liquefied natural gas purchases exceeding $50 billion. The report also argued that the appointment of Mehmet Şimşek to the economic management and the abandonment of previous policies had boosted the confidence of international investors. Bloomberg wrote that Erdoğan saw this visit as an opportunity to put the recently strained Ankara-Washington relations back on track. One of the biggest deals expected to come out of the meeting is in the aviation sector. It was stated that the Turkish side is keen on purchasing hundreds of aircraft and fighter jets from Boeing and Lockheed Martin. Meanwhile, answering journalists’ questions at the summit, Trump said of Erdoğan, ‘We built a very strong army together. They want to buy F-35s and F-16s from us. I have a lot of respect for this man. We have had good relations for a long time. He gave us Branson. I am very happy that we got him back.’
∗∗∗
CONCESIONS MADE FOR A MEETING
• A promise to purchase 300 Boeing aircraft was made before going to New York.
• As soon as Erdoğan set foot in the US, additional customs tariffs were lifted as a “gesture of goodwill”.
• It was claimed that Erdoğan would purchase over $50 billion worth of liquefied natural gas from Trump.
• It emerged that Erdoğan, who was in New York, was the second leader after French President Emmanuel Macron to be forced to wait for Trump’s motorcade. US police made Erdoğan and his team wait in the middle of the street because Trump’s motorcade was passing by.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Meşruiyet çabasının bedelini halk ödüyor, published in BirGün newspaper on September 26, 2025.
