WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump declared on Thursday that his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan understands “rigged elections better than anybody.”
Trump made these remarks while drawing common ground with the leader frequently accused of autocratic behaviour.
The American president, who falsely claims election fraud thwarted his 2020 presidential bid, noted that he and Erdogan remained friends during his time out of office.
Trump referred to this period as his “exile” from the White House.
Erdogan, who has held power since 2014, received Trump’s praise despite ongoing crackdowns on opposition figures and media in Turkey.
“This is a guy who’s highly opinionated,“ Trump said while hosting Erdogan in Washington.
The US president added that he usually dislikes opinionated people but always likes the Turkish leader, describing him as “a tough one.”
This visit marked Erdogan’s first bilateral trip to the White House since 2019 during Trump’s initial term.
Former president Joe Biden maintained a tense relationship with the Turkish leader, whom he labeled an “autocrat.”
Turkish authorities under Erdogan have repeatedly targeted the country’s main opposition party with arrests.
Istanbul’s powerful mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has been detained since March on corruption allegations that he denies.
Trump has sought to sideline democratic checks and balances since returning to office in January.
He has consistently demonstrated admiration for autocratic leaders throughout his political career.
Trump often positively highlights how long certain heads of state have managed to maintain power.
In August, he praised Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev during his Washington visit.
Aliyev has led the former Soviet republic for 22 years according to Trump’s remarks.
“That’s a long time, and the only reason you can be in a country that long is when you’re very smart and very confident,“ he said at the time.
Trump himself has repeatedly teased the prospect of seeking a third term despite constitutional prohibitions. – AFP