US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he had prevented Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from joining the war in Iran.
Speaking to reporters at the White House alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump said, “He's a friend of mine, and he stayed out of the war."
The President added, “You know, he was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran. Maybe, on Iran's side because he's not a big fan of Israel, as you know. And I asked him to stay out. He stayed out."
Trump also lavished praise on Erdogan, calling him a friend and describing him as a respected leader.
“Erdogan loves Turkey, right? He's doing a great job. He loves Turkey. I love the US, but he loves Turkey, and he's doing a great job. He's a respected man, a respected leader. He's been a friend of mine."
One reporter asked the President whether he would give Turkey F-35 fighter jets as they have desired, to which Trump replied, “I think so. He's a member of NATO. Some people don't consider himself, but he really is. He is a strong member of NATO. Yeah, I'm going to probably do something that's going to make him very happy."
Turkey and Israel were close to reconciliation just before the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, but since that time, Turkish officials, and foremost Erdogan, have repeatedly criticized Israel.
In March of last year, Erdogan blasted Israel and described it as a "terror state" after it launched surprise strikes on terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip.
Several months later, the Turkish President claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government represents the most significant threat to Middle East security.
In April of 2024, he met then-Hamas political bureau leader Ismail Haniyeh in Istanbul. Haniyeh was later eliminated by Israel.
Weeks later, Erdogan boasted of the fact that more than 1,000 members of Hamas were being treated in hospitals across Turkey and also took issue with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ reference to Hamas as a terrorist organization.
Earlier this month, the Turkish President said that Israeli strikes in Syria and Lebanon have reached a point where they also threaten his country, and he warned against further action, saying, "We see comprehensive initiatives led by Israel in the Mediterranean, and no one should pursue adventures there."
Erdogan warned against continued Israeli steps in the region and said, "Israel's aggression threatens the entire world." He added, "If the rights of Turks or Turkish-Cypriots are harmed in the Middle East - our response will be unequivocal and strong."