Trump’s tariffs give Türkiye an economic edge, says Vice President Yilmaz
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz attends the 'Coalition Of The Willing' summit in support of Ukraine at Elysee Palace on March 27, 2025 in Paris, France. (AA Photo)
The new U.S. customs tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump present an economic advantage for Türkiye, as the country has been placed in the lowest tariff bracket among global trading partners, Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said Saturday.
“Türkiye is subject to a 10% tariff, the lowest rate. At this stage, this appears to be to our advantage in terms of the American market,” Yilmaz said during a live broadcast on a Turkish media outlet.
Yilmaz’s remarks came as he addressed a wide range of issues, from the U.S.-Türkiye trade relationship and global market shifts to domestic matters such as the corruption investigation involving the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, recent protest movements, inflation, and social housing plans.
Türkiye gains from shifts in global tariff landscape
Vice President Yilmaz said Trump’s move to apply high tariffs on countries like China and members of the European Union alters the trade environment in a way that may benefit Türkiye.
“There were already tariffs on steel and aluminum. Now that similar tariffs are applied to others, we have reached a level playing field,” he said.
However, he also warned of indirect risks: “These rising tariffs may lead other countries excluded from the U.S. market to enter other global markets more aggressively. We must be mindful of the competitive pressures and search for new markets.”
Yilmaz said the government is monitoring reactions from China, the EU, and other economic blocs and tracking possible retaliatory moves. “President Trump also said, ‘I am open to negotiation.’ These talks and their outcomes must be followed closely.”
Trade with US and energy imports
Yilmaz said Türkiye’s $100 billion trade target with the U.S. remains in focus and that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Trump are expected to address all bilateral matters in upcoming talks.
He added that the fall in global oil and commodity prices following Trump’s tariff decision could help reduce Türkiy’es energy and raw material costs. “We rely on energy and commodity imports. There’s a potentially positive effect for us here,” he said.
Türkiye-EU relations and dialogue on Ukraine
Yilmaz noted that Türkiye had been invited to participate in the “Peace and Security for Ukraine” summit in Paris, a sign of renewed cooperation between Türkiye and Europe.
“There’s a new opportunity in our relations. Visa facilitation, Customs Union updates—all of these are now back on the agenda.”
He reiterated Türkiye’s support for a peaceful resolution in Ukraine and said Türkiye is ready to play a mediating role through its relations with both Russia and Ukraine.
Warning on Syria and regional stability
On the situation in Syria, Yilmaz criticized Israeli military actions and foreign intervention.
“No foreign power has the right to intervene in Syria. International law is clear. The residents of Syria are not a threat to anyone. It is Israel that is the aggressor.”
He said Türkiye remains committed to contributing to Syria’s stability and called on the international community to apply pressure on Israel to end its actions.
Inflation trends and economic stability
Yilmaz stated that Türkiye has achieved a 37.4-point decline in inflation over the past 10 months.
“We are not saying there is no price increase, but the rate of increase is declining,” he said, pointing to plans for medium-term inflation control, including goals to reach single digits by 2027.
He said food and housing are the two key categories of inflation and that the government is preparing a major new social housing campaign, “This will not be the same old model. New designs will reflect population dynamics, disaster resilience, and changing social expectations.”
Response to Istanbul Municipality investigation
On the corruption probe targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Yilmaz stressed the need to respect legal procedures and not politicize the process.
“There is a corruption allegation and an ongoing investigation. Yet, we see an attitude like: ‘I won’t respond to anything, I won’t take it seriously, I won’t counter it with any legal argument, I’ll just shift this into the political sphere.’”
He continued, “When you observe this, you inevitably ask: ‘Does this mean you don’t trust your legal position, so you are trying to drag the matter into the political arena?’ If the judiciary sees this seriously, what must be done is to challenge it legally and prove your case.”
On protests and political rhetoric
Yilmaz commented on recent protests following the detention of IBB Deputy Secretary General Mahir Polat, stating that while peaceful demonstrations are part of democratic rights, incitement to violence and street unrest are unacceptable.
“You can obtain permits, gather in a designated area, protest, express your opinions. But turning the streets into scenes of violence is not acceptable.”
On Polat’s medical condition, Yilmaz confirmed that he received extensive hospital treatment and said the Justice Ministry had referred the case to the Forensic Medicine Institute for further assessment, “Whatever the crime, whoever it is, their life and health are entrusted to the state.”
