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The US balancing act on Turkey is becoming increasingly untenable

Historic alignments are gone, bi-lateral relations are strained, and Turkish anti-Americanism is salient

Basic security alignments between the United States and Turkey at least since the Truman Doctrine in the opening days of the Cold War used to keep the always-troubled US balancing act with Turkey on track.

Today such alignments are hard to find. Turkey is no longer a dependable bulwark against Russia or a reliable ally against Iran. Turkey antagonizes Kurds across the region, arguably the strongest US ally. Street brawls seem to accompany Erdoğan’s visits to the US.

A US court case against high profile suspects close to the Erdoğan government charged with executing an oil-for-gold programme between Turkey and Iran to circumvent sanctions on Iran complicates further, and the presence in the US of Fetullah Gülen, the alleged mastermind behind the failed coup attempt against the Erdoğan government adds to the tension.

Recently referring to Erdoğan as his ‘best friend’, Trump seems to stay on the path of his predecessors when it comes to walking a tight rope on Turkey. Mindful of the unpredictability of both Trump and Erdoğan, the question has to be posed if the US balancing act on Turkey remains to be tenable?

DIIS Experts

Jakob Lindgaard
Foreign policy and diplomacy
Senior Analyst
+45 6077 8532
Walking a Thin Rope
The U.S.-Turkey Balancing Act is Becoming Increasingly Untenable