US Envoy Tom Barrack Speaks on Türkiye and Erdoğan
At the 2025 Concordia Summit in New York on 24 September, US Ambassador to Türkiye and Syria Special Envoy Tom Barrack made striking comments about Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Speaking on the panel “Voices of Diplomacy: Shaping America’s Role in the World”, Barrack recalled long-standing disputes over S-400s, F-35s, and F-16s, saying:
“We’ve been dealing with the same issues for ten years.”
His remarks came just one day before the planned Erdoğan–Trump summit at the White House.
Legitimacy at the Core of US-Türkiye Relations
Barrack said President Trump has proposed a bold new approach:
“The president said, ‘I’m tired of this, let’s take a bold step in our relations and give what is needed.’ When I asked, ‘What does he need?’ he replied, ‘Legitimacy.’ It’s not about borders, the S-400s, or the F-16s. It’s about legitimacy.”
Barrack described Türkiye as “the US’s tightest NATO ally”, yet still excluded from the European Union. He emphasized that both Trump and Erdoğan could achieve significant progress if legitimacy was recognized.
US-Türkiye Defense Ties
On defense, Barrack highlighted Türkiye’s central role:
- Türkiye is the largest buyer of F-16s worldwide, which “keeps Lockheed alive,” he said.
- At the same time, Washington blocked Türkiye from the F-35 program after its purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
He added that Türkiye’s legitimacy as a regional stability hub was critical and called the country the “biggest partner in a complicated region.”
Erdoğan–Trump White House Meeting
President Erdoğan, visiting the US for the UN General Assembly, was invited by Trump to the White House on 25 September, marking his first official visit since 2019.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that talks would cover trade, investment, defense industry cooperation, F-35 negotiations, Boeing aircraft, and additional F-16 sales.
“President Erdoğan and I have always had a very good relationship. I look forward to seeing him on the 25th,” Trump stated.
Erdoğan responded on X, noting that discussions would cover strategic partnership, trade, and defense, adding that he believes the meeting will strengthen bilateral ties and contribute to ending conflicts.
