Strains in US–Turkiye relations

Abstract

Turkiye cancelled a 9 May trip by its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to Washington, responding to domestic political concerns related to the United States’ support for Israel in its war against Hamas. The US–Turkiye alliance, seen by Ankara as vital during the Cold War, is now more variegated and transactional. But while Erdoğan has a deep-rooted personal antipathy to Washington, uniquely among the leaders of NATO member countries, he is also wary of US strength and the ability of any crisis in bilateral relations to negatively affect his grip on power or worsen the country’s already difficult economic situation.