President-elect Donald Trump on Monday alleged that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan orchestrated the swift overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8. Trump’s remarks came during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort, where he praised Erdogan’s strategic influence while raising questions about the region’s future.
“The very smart Erdogan directed the rebellion that led to the overthrow of Syria’s brutal Assad regime,” Trump said, describing it as “another way to fight.” Trump asserted that Turkey was behind the rebel forces responsible for the regime’s collapse. “And those people that went in are controlled by Turkey, and that’s OK,” he added.
When asked about the fate of the 900 American troops currently stationed in Syria, Trump remained non-committal, stating, “Nobody knows what the final outcome is going to be in the region.” However, he noted, “The one [Assad regime] side has been decimated.”
Trump further described Erdogan as “a very smart guy” and characterized the situation as “an unfriendly takeover without a lot of lives being lost.”
Despite Trump’s comments, Israeli officials cautioned the United States to remain vigilant regarding Erdogan’s leadership and Turkey’s growing influence. Knesset member Wasserman Lande specifically pointed to Turkey’s support for groups like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, linking their influence to the incoming Syrian leadership.
“Turkey, with Erdogan at the helm, is supportive of Hamas and supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood, which are the same thing,” she said, emphasizing concerns over Syria now being governed by Turkey-backed rebels.
Lande urged the incoming Trump administration to monitor Erdogan closely, particularly given Turkey’s membership in NATO, which could provide the U.S. and allies leverage over Turkey’s actions. “The United States needs to put a huge vigilant watch on Erdogan, particularly because he’s a member of NATO,” she stated.
