President Erdoğan welcomes U.S. President Trump
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President Donald J. Trump of the United States, who is paying an official visit to Türkiye ahead of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, at Ankara Airport.
Source: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
U.S. President Trump at the Presidential Complex
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed President Donald J. Trump of the United States, who is paying an official visit to Türkiye ahead of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, with an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex.
Once the two leaders arrived at the ceremonial ground, the national anthems of Türkiye and the U.S. were played, and a 21-gun-salute was fired.
Upon President Trump’s arrival at the Presidential Complex, the Turkish Stars, the Turkish Air Forces’ aerobatics team, performed a ceremonial greeting.
After the two leaders posed for the press, they headed inside for their tête-à-tête and the meeting between the delegations.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, Minister of Treasury and Finance Mehmet Şimşek and Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler were also present at the ceremony.
Source: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
President Erdoğan meets with U.S. President Trump
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with President Donald J. Trump of the United States, who is paying an official visit to Türkiye ahead of the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, at the Presidential Complex.
Prior to their bilateral meeting, the two leaders made remarks to the press and answered reporters’ questions.
Highlighting the importance of U.S. President Trump’s visit, President Erdoğan said: “The fact that the NATO Leaders’ Summit is taking place in Ankara today, and all leaders are convening in our country at the moment, and that my esteemed friend is here with us gives strength to us. I would like to welcome him once again.”
Iran-U.S. negotiation process
A reporter asked: “You have made efforts for the war in Iran to end. The negotiation process is ongoing, but a final agreement has not been reached. How will Türkiye proceed in the period ahead for the negotiation process to result in a favorable outcome?” President Erdoğan, in response, said: “I and my colleagues are working together to take a step toward world peace by doing everything we can.”
A reporter asked: “Nearly 80 thousand people lost their lives in Gaza. There is grave destruction. A ceasefire has been reached, but there are occasional violations. Will you discuss possible joint steps to prevent violations, to ensure delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and to rebuild Gaza?” President Erdoğan replied as follows: “With regard to Gaza, we attach great importance to the Leaders’ Summit to ensure peace in the region and to discuss these points with my esteemed friend. Also, we would view the adoption of a resolution at this Leaders' Summit as a positive development. I think it's possible that this could happen.”
“I believe that a favorable decision on the F-35 issue will come out of this Leaders’ Summit.”
In answer to a question about the delivery of F-35s and jet engines, President Erdoğan said: “The F-35 issue is not a new issue for us. We have discussed it with the U.S. before. We have been promised 5 planes. President Trump also made us a promise.” Underlining that President Trump always keeps his promises, President Erdoğan said: “I believe that, Inshallah, a favorable decision on the F-35 issue will come out of this Leaders’ Summit.”
Recalling Türkiye’s mediation efforts, a reporter asked whether there was any progress in ending the Ukraine-Russia war. President Erdoğan replied as follows: “We will also discuss these developments between Russia and Ukraine here with my dear friend. We will take the necessary steps accordingly.”
“Can we expect a result about the delivery of F-35s and KAAN jet engines?” a reporter asked. President Erdoğan replied as follows: “I discussed this issue with my esteemed friend before. We will discuss once again the issue of KAAN engines with my dear friend at the Leaders’ Summit. I believe that he will reiterate here the good news he has already shared with us. Following this good news, I believe we will thank him at the Leaders’ Summit.”
“Türkiye has become under President Erdoğan a very powerful country militarily,” President Trump said. Noting that he has a lot of respect for President Erdoğan, President Trump said: “It is really to the benefit of both countries.”
Stating that their relations with Türkiye is better than ever at the moment, U.S. President Trump said to President Erdoğan: “You are a respected leader all over the world.”
U.S. President Trump: “We're going to be taking the sanctions off.”
In answer to a question about the sale of F-35s to Türkiye, U.S. President Trump said: “Türkiye has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal. It is something certainly we will consider. It is a great plane. It is the best currently, the best plane by far. And, it is certainly something we will consider.”
“I was very disappointed with NATO,” U.S. President Trump said. “Frankly, if it were not held in Türkiye, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader, a very strong person, it is possible that I would not have attended.
In answer to a question about the CAATSA sanctions, U.S. President Trump said: “We're going to be taking the sanctions off.”
Following their tête-à-tête, President Erdoğan and U.S. President Trump also co-chaired a meeting between their delegations.
Source: Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye
Moreover, US President Donald Trump addressed the press following the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit, held in Ankara.
Referring to President Erdoğan, the host of the Summit, in his speech, US President Trump said, "We have just concluded a very successful NATO Summit here in Türkiye. I would like to thank President Erdoğan, who is a really great man and a great leader. He has been a friend of mine for a long time. He has a very strong personality, and that is why he runs such a successful and good country."
Highlighting Türkiye's strong military, US President Trump added, "From the moment you get off the plane and look at the airport, you see a beautiful terminal. Everything was beautiful. I just want to thank President Erdoğan, who has done a fantastic job."
US President Trump pointed to the necessity of keeping crude oil prices low and defended the U.S. strikes on Iran as necessary. Noting they had eliminated Iran's army and navy through their strikes on the country, US President Trump said, "Their combat capability is pretty low at the moment. They have a small percentage of missiles left."
Underscoring that the US is the country that contributes the most to NATO, "We invested a record 1 trillion USD in our armed forces, and we will be asking (the Congress) for 1.5 trillion USD," US President Trump said.
With regard to the NATO Summit, Trump said, "There was tremendous unity in that room. I urge all nations to accelerate their plans to get the benchmark as quickly as possible." Emphasising that the spirit of unity in the hall was "incredible," US President Trump commented, "This was a tremendously successful summit."
US President Trump shared that he had the opportunity to meet with many leaders in Ankara, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine and President Ahmed al-Sharaa of Syria, adding, "Al-Sharaa is doing an unbelievable job in unifying Syria. What a job he is doing. He has done a fantastic job. Syria was a mess with what happened with the previous government."
"I do not think the Iran war is going to start again"
In response to a journalist's remark that "it seems that the war with Iran may start again", US President Trump said, "No, I do not think it is going to start again. I think it is going to go very quickly. They hit a couple of ships, and so we hit them much harder. When they hit, we hit 10 times harder. We have a lot better equipment than they do."
US President Donald Trump stated that they have also surpassed China in the field of artificial intelligence, adding, "Right now I'm the number one on TikTok.
When asked if he had discussed F-35 fighter jets with President Erdoğan, US President Trump responded. Underlining their "great ties" with Türkiye, US President Trump said that he would soon decide on the F-35 issue, adding, "He (Erdoğan) has been a great ally. Türkiye is a great country. It's a very powerful -- militarily. It's the second most powerful country in NATO."
"They (Iran) want to make a deal, but they don't know how to make a deal"
U.S. President Trump described the war with Iran, which began with U.S. and Israeli attacks on the country, as the “denuclearisation” of Tehran and said it had been a “tremendous military success.”
Stating that oil prices came down and Iran has weakened, US President Trump said, "They (Iran) want to make a deal, but they do not know how to make a deal. And then they go around shooting ships at night." Trump stated that they (Iran) were dealing with "great" people, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, but characterised them as "a little crazy."
"And I am not sure I want to make a deal with them (Iran)," said Trump, reiterating that the Tehran administration cannot have a nuclear weapon. Trump stated that they (oil prices) were dropping like a rock, now they would be up a little bit, and that would end very quickly. In response to a question about Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump said, "If anybody goes there, they get blown up. Arguing that the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz was "working," US President Trump also described the US detention of President Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela by military intervention on January 3 as "a one-day war."
"I am number one on the kill list for Iran"
When asked about allegations that he would leave Ankara not on the new Air Force One because of security concerns involving Iran, Trump said that the life of a president is very "dangerous," adding, "I am number one on the kill list for Iran."
US President Trump said, "We will be going home by normal methods, but we have it going to Europe to a couple of bases, actually one in particular, so the soldiers can see it."
Regarding Iran, US President Trump said, "When they hit, we hit. We use their language. I think anything that happens (regarding attacks) is going to be over very quickly."
