Politics
Erdogan Cast Aside as Trump Favors Other Mideast Strongmen
- U.S. ties with Saudi and Egyptian rulers improved under Trump
- NATO member Turkey has moved closer to Russia and Iran
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Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could be forgiven for wondering why he alone among traditional allies in the Middle East has been singled out for U.S. sanctions on human-rights grounds.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has embraced those in the region whose priorities meshed with key U.S. policies, such as confronting Iran and Sunni Islamist groups. The authoritarian rulers of Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, are among those who tick that box.