Trump Says Erdogan Stayed Out of Iran War at His Request

President Donald Trump said overnight between Wednesday and Thursday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stayed out of the war with Iran because Trump personally asked him to do so. Trump praised Erdogan despite his known anti-Israel positions, saying, “I love him. He could have been on Iran’s side because he does not like Israel, I asked him to stay out.”

Trump continued to compliment Erdogan, calling him a “great, strong leader” and a “respected man” and saying, “He loves Turkey. He is a strong man, everything I ever asked him for he did.” He added that Erdogan is his friend.

Trump also hinted at a positive outcome for Turkey regarding the F-35 fighter jet program, saying, “I will probably do something that will make him very happy.” He said many people do not realize how large Turkey’s military is, describing it as “a very strong military.”

In the same remarks, Trump also addressed Iran with a direct threat. He said, “I will not allow them to charge tolls in Hormuz, otherwise that will happen in other places in the world. It will be a game changer.”