Twitter Aghast Over RNC Video Where Trump Praises Dictator to Hostage Who Was Imprisoned in Turkey: ‘To Me, President Erdogan Was Very Good’
President Donald Trump ignited a tempest online for clarifying that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been “very good” to him, while talking to a Christian pastor who had been imprisoned by Erdogan, during the first night of the Republican National Convention.
In a pre-taped panel where Trump spoke with several people that his administration had negotiated their release, Trump turned to Pastor Andrew Brunson, who was held over one year in a Turkish prison without charges. The Erdogan government accused him of being a spy for a Kurdish resistance group. After an attempted 2016 ouster of his regime, Erdogan instituted a widespread crackdown on thousands of alleged conspirators, often imprisoning them based on little to no evidence.
That Trump would take time out of a hostage’s story to actually praise the man who falsely jailed him for years — feeding a criticism that he coddles dictators like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un — elicited prompt backlash and bitter bafflement.
Trump praises Erdogan as “very good” for eventually releasing a pastor who had been detained by Erdogan’s government for two years.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 25, 2020
Erdogan literally imprisoned Brunson. https://t.co/LRpjYvU14a
— Jonathan Landay (@JonathanLanday) August 25, 2020
Did Trump just make a man who was imprisoned by Erdogan’s government agree that Erdogan was actually a really good guy? Like, did that really just happen?
— Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp) August 25, 2020
I know I shouldn’t have been shocked. But. Watching Trump tell a hostage rescued from Turkey that Erdogan was “very good,” my jaw hit the floor.
Erdogan is…… not “very good.”
— Jane Lytvynenko (@JaneLytv) August 25, 2020
Trump is praising Erdogan to a man who was held hostage in Turkey.
Wow.
— Robert Maguire (@RobertMaguire_) August 25, 2020
So after Trump talking about how good he is with Erdogan, we’re back to pretending he’s tough on dictators? OK.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) August 25, 2020
Erdogan has kidnapped Turks from 18 foreign countries as well as from inside Turkey. Trump speaks on the phone with him *more than any other foreign leader.* https://t.co/rVLAt0bWab
— Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat) August 25, 2020
The convention ups the authoritarian factor with Trump praising Erdogan. Many political and civil dissenters have been imprisoned for years in Turkey.
— Taniel (@Taniel) August 25, 2020
Trump just praised Erdogan, because of course.
— Wajahat “Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic” Ali (@WajahatAli) August 25, 2020
Trump is praising Andrew Brunson’s jailer because he was nice to Trump: “To me, President Erdogan was very good.” #facepalm
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) August 25, 2020
Especially on a night when your nominee sits in the White House, during a political party convention, and (checks notes) praises Erdoğan. https://t.co/f7iL4i0LWT
— (((evan shapiro))) (@eshap) August 25, 2020
“To me, President Erdogan was very good,” @realDonaldTrump.
Flashback—
“Reminder: Trump Has a Massive Conflict of Interest in Turkey”
by @russchoma for @MotherJoneshttps://t.co/AzKiYsdUBG
— Zach Everson (@Z_Everson) August 25, 2020
They left in him praising Erdogan in a segment about Erdogan kidnapping people. Did they leave in because they are incompetent? Or because Trump has pending business in Turkey.
— Person Woman Man Camera TV (@ClaraJeffery) August 25, 2020
As Trump talks tonight about how much he admires Erdogan, here’s a little update on what the President of Turkey has been up to lately. Coming soon to a former democracy near you! #RNC #RNC2020 pic.twitter.com/Z1E3maLrC5
— Gary Whitta (@garywhitta) August 25, 2020
