'Don’t be a fool!': Trump threatened Turkish president in letter

Source: Politico | October 16, 2019 | Quint Forgey

Trump apparently sent the letter after receiving fierce blowback for clearing the way for Turkey’s invasion.

President Donald Trump warned President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey against being “a tough guy” and “a fool” in a bombastic letter last week that was apparently delivered as the Turkish military launched its invasion of northeast Syria.

In the letter, which was authenticated by the White House, Trump urges his foreign counterpart to negotiate an end to Turkey’s offensive against U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters, which has drawn intense criticism from the international community. Trump in particular has taken bipartisan heat for pulling U.S. troops out of the region and smoothing the way for the incursion.

“Let’s work out a good deal! You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will. I’ve already given you a little sample with respect to Pastor Brunson,” Trump wrote, referring to sanctions the Treasury Department previously imposed on senior Turkish officials for the detention of an evangelical reverend.

“I have worked hard to solve some of your problems. Don’t let the world down. You can make a great deal,” he continued, adding that Kurdish General Mazloum Kobani of the Syrian Democratic Forces “is willing to negotiate with you, and he is willing to make concessions that they would never have made in the past.”

“History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen,” the president concluded. “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool! I will call you later.”

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  • Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:15 pm #32545

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:17 pm #32546

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:18 pm #32547

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:18 pm #32548

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:19 pm #32549

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 5:20 pm #32550

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 10:45 pm #32568

    Consistent October 16, 2019 at 10:46 pm #32569

    ConservativeGranny October 16, 2019 at 11:18 pm #32570

    I’m sure this letter was never actually sent but more likely it was just put together to make Trump look like he was tough with Erdogan after the fact and only because he realized too late he crossed a line that the GOP wasn’t willing to cross with him. In fact do they have the original sharpie version of this?

    Trump only talks this way to people he knows aren’t going to harm him. This is why he always has others do the firing for him. He is really just a coward pretending to be a tough guy. He is always conciliatory with dictators and nasty to allies.

    Consistent October 17, 2019 at 11:48 am #32586

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