Trump Praises Erdoğan as Netanyahu Brands Him "Antisemitic Dictator"

By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk

US President Donald Trump praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 10 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement branding him an "antisemitic dictator." Asked by reporters about the prospect of conflict between Türkiye and Israel, Trump described Erdoğan as a longtime friend he has worked well with.

Earlier the same day, Erdoğan said Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Syria had reached a point where they also threatened Türkiye, describing Israel's actions in the region as a danger to the wider world. Netanyahu's office responded within hours, accusing Erdoğan of mistreating Türkiye's Kurdish population, backing Hamas and jailing domestic political opponents, and arguing he was poorly placed to comment on Israel's conduct.

Trump did not address Netanyahu's statement when reporters raised it in the Oval Office. A reporter also asked whether the administration would sell F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye. Trump did not answer that part of the question.

Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased Russia's S-400 air defense system, and the file has remained open in talks between Ankara and Washington since.

The exchange came as preparations advanced for a possible meeting between Trump and Erdoğan in Los Angeles on June 25, where the two countries' national teams are scheduled to play in the 2026 World Cup. People familiar with the planning told Bloomberg the meeting would give the two presidents a chance to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including their countries' roles in NATO, less than two weeks before Türkiye hosts the alliance's summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8.

Sources: Times of Israel, Bloomberg, Bosphorus News review and reporting.