Erdogan says US action could force Türkiye to seek new friends
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, in an article published in the New York Times, warned that unilateral US action could force Türkiye to seek new friends and allies.
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| Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan |
On August 10, President Donald Trump announced that he would double tariffs on aluminum and steel from Türkiye, to 20% and 50%, respectively. This sent the Turkish lira to a historic low — falling to 6.62 lira per dollar, losing nearly 20% of its value in one day.
"At a time when evil lurks around the world, unilateral actions against Türkiye by the United States, our ally for decades, will only undermine American interests and security. It is not too late for Washington to abandon the false notion that our relationship is unequal, and come to terms with the fact that Turkey has other alternatives. This will require us to seek new friends and allies," the Turkish leader wrote.
US-Türkiye relations have soured recently, including over the case of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who was detained by Turkish authorities in 2016.
The US Treasury Department last week imposed sanctions against Türkiye's Justice Minister Abdulahmita Gul and Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, accusing them of "serious human rights violations".
