Trump publicly disappoints Netanyahu, stresses ‘very good relationship’ with Erdogan
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S. on April 7, 2025. (AFP Photo)
United States President Donald Trump said Monday that he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be “reasonable” in handling disputes with Türkiye, while praising his own ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“Any problem that you have with Turkey, I think I can solve. I mean, as long as you’re reasonable, you have to be reasonable. We have to be reasonable,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he hosted Netanyahu, using an older English rendering of Türkiye.
“Bibi, if you have a problem with Turkey, I really think you’re going to be able to work it out. You know, I have a very, very good relationship with Turkey and with their leader, and I think we’ll be able to work it out. So I hope that’s not going to be a problem. I don’t think it will be a problem,” he added, using Netanyahu’s nickname.
Erdogan is ‘tough guy’ says Trump
Trump said he has “great relations” with Erdogan, describing him as “a tough guy” and “very smart,” and credited him with achieving what others could not.
He claimed that “it was Turkey” that orchestrated the downfall of Syria’s longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad last December.
“I said, ‘Congratulations, you’ve done what nobody’s been able to do in 2,000 years. You’ve taken over Syria with different names, but same thing. You’ve taken it over,’” Trump said of his earlier conversation with Netanyahu. “He’s taken it over through surrogates.”
Assad, who had ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s control of the country after more than six decades in power.
Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led anti-regime forces to oust Assad, was declared president of a transitional government on Jan. 29.
