Trump: Erdogan behind coup in Syria

Published December 18, 2024 at 1:55 p.m.

Foreign. Donald Trump claims that Turkey is behind the takeover of power in Syria. He describes the ouster of President Assad as an “unfriendly takeover” carried out by Ankara.

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The situation in Syria has changed rapidly in recent weeks after the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham (HTS), formerly al-Qaeda, led an offensive against the Syrian army.

The jihadists quickly took control of several major cities, including the capital Damascus, which led to the collapse of the Syrian military. President Assad fled to Russia where he was granted political asylum.

– Those who went in are controlled by Turkey, and that's okay, Donald Trump said during a press conference on Monday.

He described Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a “smart” and “very tough” leader who managed to overthrow the Assad regime.

🇺🇸🇾🇹🇷 Trump says bluntly that “Turkey controls those rebels and Erdogan did an unfriendly takeover of Syria”

“They wanted it for thousand of years and he got it” pic.twitter.com/sY4nvQE4f5

— Lord Bebo (@MyLordBebo) December 16, 2024

– Turkey has wanted Syria for thousands of years, and he got it. Turkey made an unfriendly takeover without many lives being lost, Trump added, highlighting Turkey's “strong military power” which, according to him, has not been “exhausted by war.” Donald Trump further stated that Turkey will play a decisive role in Syria's future. “Right now there are many uncertainties in Syria, but I believe Turkey will be the key.” Turkey's role in the conflict has long been debated, but Trump's statements are likely to further fuel speculation about Ankara's influence in the region.