Turkey’s Glee Over Trump’s Victory May Be Short-Lived

Members of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s soul circle could hardly hide their glee complete nan result of nan U.S. statesmanlike election. Despite immoderate notable breakthroughs successful U.S.-Turkey relations during nan management of U.S. President Joe Biden, cardinal points of hostility remain. Erdogan and his squad are optimistic that pinch President-elect Donald Trump backmost successful nan White House, Washington will beryllium an easier partner. Erdogan has immoderate reasons for short-term optimism, but he whitethorn find himself disappointed complete nan longer term.

Ankara’s Selective Memory

In part, Ankara’s guidance to Trump’s triumph is nan consequence of selective memory. It was Trump, aft all, who responded to Turkey’s continued detention of Andrew Brunson—a U.S. evangelical pastor arrested connected espionage charges successful 2016—with a threat to region each U.S. diplomats from nan state and “impose ample sanctions.” It was Trump, too, who promised to “totally destruct and obliterate” Turkey’s system successful 2019 erstwhile tensions arose complete some sides’ conflicting subject agendas successful Syria. In some cases, Turkey backed down. Trump besides banned Turkey from purchasing nan F-35 multi-role fifth-generation combat craft successful July 2019 and imposed sanctions connected Ankara successful December 2020, some measures owed to Turkey’s acquisition of Russian-made S400 surface-to-air missiles.

Moreover, it was nether Biden that, aft lengthy wrangling, bilateral relations began to thaw, pinch Ankara dropping its clasp connected admitting Sweden and Finland into NATO successful a tacit quid pro quo for U.S. support of a waste of upgraded F-16s to Turkey.