On September 25, 2025, the White House played host to a meeting that could have far-reaching consequences for global alliances and regional stability. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Washington for his first visit in six years, greeted by President Donald Trump amid a swirl of international crises — from the ongoing war in Gaza to Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine. The stakes were high, the topics thorny, and the personal dynamic between the two leaders as pivotal as ever.
Erdogan’s last visit to the White House, back in 2019, had been clouded by acrimony over Syria and a deepening rift between Washington and Ankara. This time, however, the mood was noticeably less tense. According to BBC, the two men seemed more aligned, especially on Syria, and the conversation quickly turned to pressing matters: tariffs, the possibility of a Ukraine ceasefire, and — perhaps most crucially — the future of advanced fighter jet sales to Turkey.
The centerpiece of the talks was the status of the F-35 fighter jet program. During Trump’s first term, the U.S. had removed Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 program after Ankara purchased Russia’s S-400 missile defense system. American officials were deeply concerned that the S-400 could be used to collect sensitive data on the F-35’s capabilities, potentially passing critical information to Moscow. Since then, Turkey has been lobbying hard to rejoin the program and resume purchases of the advanced jets.
President Trump, in his characteristically direct style, hinted that a resolution might be imminent. “He needs certain things, and we need certain things, and we’re going to come to a conclusion. You’ll know by the end of the day,” Trump told reporters, as quoted by Associated Press. Turning to Erdogan, he added, “And I think you’ll be successful with buying the things you would like to buy.”
After a two-hour private meeting behind closed doors, Trump described the encounter as “very conclusive on so many different things,” offering only a cryptic “great” with a thumbs-up when pressed for more details by the press. He promised that announcements from both countries would follow soon, leaving the international community to speculate on what exactly had been agreed.
One issue that dominated the conversation was Turkey’s ongoing economic relationship with Russia. Since the European Union announced a boycott of most Russian seaborne oil in early 2023, Turkey has emerged as one of the world’s largest buyers of Russian fossil fuels. According to AP, Ankara has purchased more than $90 billion in Russian oil, coal, and natural gas since January 2023, trailing only China and India. Trump didn’t mince words: “The best thing he could do is not buy oil and gas from Russia,” he said of Erdogan.
Yet, when asked whether Erdogan had agreed to halt these purchases, Trump was candid: “I don’t want to say that” Erdogan agreed, “but if I want him to, he will.” The Turkish leader himself made no public commitment, reflecting the delicate balancing act Ankara continues to perform between its NATO obligations and its strategic ties to Moscow.
Tom Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and Trump’s envoy to Syria, said the presidents had discussed all the major issues in the U.S.-Turkey relationship, “with paths forward.” When pressed about the prospects of Turkey cutting off its substantial oil purchases from Russia, Barrack demurred: “You have to ask them.”
Erdogan’s longevity in power — serving as president since 2014 and as prime minister for more than a decade before that — has not been without controversy. Human rights organizations and opposition parties have long accused him of undermining democracy and curbing freedom of expression. International observers, as reported by AP, point to persistent problems with baseless investigations and prosecutions of activists, journalists, and opposition politicians. These concerns have contributed to a more cautious approach from previous U.S. administrations, notably that of President Joe Biden, who kept Erdogan at arm’s length during his tenure.
Despite these tensions, Trump has consistently described Erdogan as a “critical partner” and a “credible intermediary” — especially in efforts to resolve the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Trump praised Erdogan’s role in Syria, crediting him for backing rebel forces that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2023. “I think President Erdogan is the one responsible for Syria, for the successful fight in ridding Syria of its past leader,” Trump told AP. “He doesn’t take the responsibility, but it’s actually a great achievement.”
Indeed, the two leaders now find themselves largely in sync on Syria, a stark contrast to the friction that followed Turkey’s military operations there in 2019. With Assad gone, both Washington and Ankara have embraced Syria’s new president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, who once led a rebel group previously designated a foreign terrorist organization. Trump’s Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, met with al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly earlier this week, further signaling a new chapter in regional diplomacy.
Erdogan, for his part, has sought to position Turkey as a linchpin of stability in a region beset by turmoil. He believes Turkey can play an essential role in European security and sees his country as uniquely capable of bridging divides over Ukraine, Syria, and even U.S. tariffs, which have sparked a global trade war. Turkey also views itself as a credible broker in the Black Sea region, maintaining relationships with both Ukraine and Russia — a tricky balancing act, to say the least.
But not all is smooth sailing. The fall of Assad has aggravated already tense relations between Turkey and Israel, another key American ally. Trump has reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be “reasonable” in his dealings with Ankara. Erdogan’s criticism of Israel’s handling of the Gaza war has been sharp and public. Speaking at the U.N. earlier this week, Erdogan accused Israeli forces of committing genocide — a charge flatly contested by both Israel and the United States. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed and about 90% of homes in the territory have been destroyed or damaged since the conflict erupted in October 2023.
The meeting between Trump and Erdogan also touched on efforts to bring an end to the war in Gaza. On September 23, 2025, Erdogan participated in a group meeting hosted by Trump on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, where leaders of eight Arab and Muslim countries gathered to discuss the conflict. The international community continues to watch closely, hoping for signs that Ankara’s unique position — respected by both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Trump noted — might help broker peace in the region.
As the world awaits concrete outcomes from this high-stakes summit, one thing is clear: the relationship between Washington and Ankara remains as complex as ever, shaped by shifting alliances, personal diplomacy, and the ever-present pressures of geopolitics. Whether the thaw in F-35 sales and the push for Turkish disengagement from Russian energy will mark a true turning point is a question that only time — and further announcements from both capitals — can answer.