team, including Vice President JD Vance, views him as a transactional actor who can deliver results when prop- erly incentivized.
By appealing to Erdogan’s ego, praising him publicly, and granting Turkey a visible role in the Gaza talks, Trump has eff ectively turned Ankara’s desire for relevance into a tool of American diplomacy.
That approach has yielded limited but tangible results. Erdogan was instrumental in per- suading Hamas to accept the initial ceasefi re terms and has maintained relative discipline among Palestin- ian factions.
For now, that stability has served both U.S. and Israeli inter- ests by helping to get 20 living hostages returned to Israel in October while at
tob whil least
defense ties, and equated Netanyahu with Hitler — a line that still resonates among his Islamist base. He continues to shelter Hamas political leaders and allows pro-Hamas activists to operate openly in Turkey. Jerusalem’s recent message to Washington is clear:
Turkish troops in Gaza are unacceptable. Nevertheless, Trump’s peace plan assigns Turkey a seat
at the table, refl ecting the reality that no agreement in the region can hold without Ankara’s involvement. From a strategic perspective, this makes Israel’s task
twofold. It must cooperate where necessary, while quietly ensuring that any “Turkish role” remains ceremonial, lim- ited to reconstruction contracts or humanitarian logistics, not security. Erdogan, for his part, is already touting Turkish con-
tem-
porarily halting the cycle of retaliatory violence that has plagued the region.
But Trump’s challenge lies in ensuring Turkey’s participation
doesn’t
mutate into dominance. Israel has made it clear that any Turkish military presence in Gaza is a red line, and with good reason. Ankara’s history of covert aid to Hamas and its weap- onization of Islamist rheto- ric make it an unreliable “peacekeeper.”
Turkish-Israeli
Over the past decade, relations
have lurched between tac- tical cooperation and out- right hostility. Erdogan
expelled Israeli ambassador, Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Born in 1954 in Istanbul Prime minister 2003-2014, president 2014-present Erdogan has overseen historic change since he came to power after years of secular domination. He has never lost an election. Critics say he has trampled on civil liberties and behaved like an autocrat. Ruled under a state of emergency in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, with tens of thousands of political opponents arrested in an unprecedented crackdown. Supporters say he’s given a voice to Turkey’s Muslim majority and brought economic prosperity.
struction companies as ideal partners for rebuilding the Strip — a move that is both economically and politically motivated. From dispatching drones to Ukraine, blocking Sweden’s
NATO accession before extracting concessions, to mediat- ing between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Erdogan has proven adept at monetizing his geopolitical leverage. Each move underscores the notion that Ankara cannot
be ignored. Erdogan seeks to be at the center of every nego- tiation, regardless of side or principle. In practical terms, it means playing both Washington
and Moscow — buying U.S.-made F-16s while negotiating for Russian S-400 missiles, condemning Israeli strikes while coordinating with NATO intelligence. In essence, the global arsonist and the fi refi ghter. To the East, he presents Turkey as a defender of Mus-
lim causes against Western imperialism. To the West, he frames his nation as a bulwark of stability against Russia and Iranian expansionism. To both, he off ers himself as the mediator who can talk to anyone from Vladimir Putin to Hamas leaders. This dual posture infuriates some in Washington but
the cut
intrigues Trump, who sees in Erdogan a strongman he can do business with. Their rapport seems genuine. The Trump-Erdogan relationship hinges on mutual
interest rather than shared values. Erdogan seeks recogni- tion and leverage while Trump seeks results. If handled wisely, this transactional bond could yield
benefi ts for American strategic interests, helping to stabi- lize Gaza, contain Iran, and remind the rest of the region that Washington remains the indispensable arbiter of Middle Eastern peace. But let’s not be naive. Turkey’s track record suggests
that Erdogan’s ultimate loyalty is to Erdogan. Any U.S. partnership must be conditional, coupled with clear red lines against Turkish expansion and overstepping. Eco- nomic levers in trade, defense procurement, and sanctions relief remain Washington’s best tools to manage Ankara’s behavior.
DECEMBER 2025 | NEWSMAX 57
ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108
