President Donald Trump joked that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “knows about rigged elections better than anybody” during a meeting between the two leaders at the Oval Office on Thursday.
“We’ve been friends for a long time, actually, even for four years when I was in exile, unfairly, as it turns out—rigged election. You know, he knows about rigged elections better than anybody,” Trump said while gesturing towards the Turkish president.
Why It Matters
Trump and Erdogan’s meeting at the Oval Office comes as the two countries seek to rekindle relations after years of distance under the Biden administration.
Trump’s comment about rigged elections referenced concerns about democratic backsliding in Turkey, which had caused the Biden administration to keep Erdogan at arm’s length.
What To Know
Trump’s Erdogan remarks were also a reference to the Turkish leader’s two decades in power, during which he has faced persistent criticism for eroding democratic institutions and curbing press freedom.
International observers have often raised concerns over the fairness of Turkey’s elections, citing the intimidation of opposition leaders and government pressure on the media.
Trump’s joke about suspect elections also repeated his long-held baseless claims that the 2020 election that put Joe Biden in office was rigged.
During the meeting Trump said about Erdogan: “This is a tough man. This is a guy who’s highly opinionated. Usually, I don’t like opinionated people, but I always like this one.”
Trump has long described Erdogan as a friend, praising him for being “very smart” and a “tough leader.” The American president has often voiced admiration for strongman leaders around the world.
Erdogan’s primary goal with the Oval Office meeting was to regain access to the U.S. F-35 fighter jet program, from which Turkey was suspended after purchasing Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
Trump did not commit to this, but said: “I think you’ll be successful with buying the things you’d like to buy.”
He also noted that the “best thing” Erdogan could do would be to not buy oil and gas from Russia.
What People Are Saying
Republicans against Trump said on X: “Erdogan jails opposition leaders, activists, and journalists. So yes, he’s an expert on “rigged elections.”
What Happens Next
Trump suggested that a decision on Turkey’s potential return to the F-35 program could come soon.
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