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Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with President Erdoğan of Turkey, Sep. 25, 2025

September 25, 2025 · The White House · 0:24:07

Embedded from the source channel — never re-uploaded. Watch on YouTube

What happened

President Trump welcomed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling him “a highly respected man” who “built a tremendous, powerful military,” and recalled that Erdoğan had released Pastor Andrew Brunson during his first term — “a great thing for our Christian community.” He said the two countries do a lot of trade and would do more, and that Turkey wants to buy F-16s, F-35s, and other equipment, which the leaders would discuss over lunch.

Erdoğan, speaking through a translator, said the visit coincided with the 80th UN General Assembly and that the two sides would thoroughly discuss the F-35 and F-16 programs and the Halkbank case, and said he would take up the reopening of the Halki seminary with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on his return — a request the President said he had raised on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Why it matters

The meeting opened the administration’s effort to reset the defense relationship with Turkey — fighter sales, the Halkbank case, and the Halki seminary all placed on the record by the two presidents themselves at the top of the visit.

Scoreboard watch

This is a candidate item for the weekly scoreboard: the September 25, 2025 Trump–Erdoğan agenda — F-16/F-35 sales and expanded trade, as stated by the President — to be checked against any resulting agreements.

Sources: The White House, “Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with President Erdoğan of Turkey, Sep. 25, 2025” (official upload, embedded above). All characterizations and figures as stated by the participants in the broadcast.