Trump claims he stopped ‘great leader’ Erdogan from bringing Turkey into Iran war

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump praises Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, claiming he was a prime candidate to enter the war on the side of Iran because he doesn’t like Israel.

“He was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran — maybe on the Iran side, because he’s not a big fan of Israel,” Trump claims, even though Turkey gave no indication that it was preparing to enter the war on the side of Iran, and even came under Iranian fire at one point.

“I asked him to stay out. He stayed out,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office.

“Erdogan is a great leader, a very strong person… Everything I’ve ever asked from him, he’s done.”

Amid reports that the US is readying for a major weapons sale to Turkey, Trump is asked whether he’s preparing a major “gift bag,” including F35 fighter jets for Ankara.

“I think so, look… I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy,” Trump says.

Pressed on what specifically needs to happen for the F35 sale to go through, Trump punts the question to Vice President JD Vance.

“There are certain things that we have to certify that have happened in order to comply with American law. The president has asked us to do that… so they can get the F35s… This is really a congressional thing,” Vance says before Trump chimes in, insisting that the issue will be sorted out.