Donald Trump stated on Monday that Turkey holds—and will continue to hold—the key to developments in Syria. His remarks came after a coalition of rebel groups, partly supported by Ankara, overthrew the government of President Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
The US president-elect described Turkey’s actions as an “unfriendly takeover” in Syria, a term borrowed from the business world, often referring to a hostile acquisition. Trump reportedly praised Turkey’s strategy, referring to the country as “very smart” and describing its leadership as “persistent,” a comment seemingly directed at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Trump added that Turkey took control of the situation without significant loss of life and criticised Assad, reportedly calling him a “butcher.”
Alluding to the Ottoman Empire, which once controlled modern-day Syria, Trump suggested that Turkey had wanted the territory for centuries and now effectively had control through its influence over the forces in power. He remarked that this outcome was acceptable and reiterated his belief that Turkey would hold the key to Syria’s future, especially given the current uncertainties.
Trump also expressed admiration for Erdoğan, saying he had developed a strong and intact military force that had not been significantly weakened by warfare.
Turkey currently controls large areas in northern Syria following multiple military operations primarily targeting Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG). Ankara has also supported rebel groups seeking to overthrow Assad’s government and maintains communication channels with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group previously affiliated with Al-Qaeda and designated a terrorist organisation by most Western countries.
Following Assad’s fall, Washington and Ankara have engaged in discussions focused on preventing the resurgence of ISIS jihadists. The United States currently maintains approximately 900 troops in eastern Syria, who work closely with the YPG, the dominant faction within the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This partnership has been a recurring source of tension with Ankara.
When asked about the presence of US troops in Syria, Trump reportedly avoided providing a specific answer.
On Sunday, Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler stated that Ankara was ready to provide military assistance to the next Syrian government if it sought to fight Kurdish separatists, describing this as a shared objective. For Ankara, the SDF is regarded as a terrorist organisation.
In contrast, Washington considers the SDF crucial for preventing the resurgence of ISIS. The SDF has been at the forefront of operations against the jihadist group in Syria.
Güler expressed Turkey’s expectation that the United States would reconsider its position on the matter.
So far, there has been no official response from Washington.
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Source: ANA-MPA/AFP/Reuters/New York Post
