Turkey's president wants citizens to boycott iPhones in response to American sanctions

There's a new argument in the Apple vs. Android rivalry. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday urged Turks to stop using iPhones as a way to stick it to the U.S., reports The Guardian.

Erdogan argued that Turkish citizens should boycott American electronic products in order to protest the sanctions imposed last week. President Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum after Erdogan declared "economic war." Turkey's detention of an American pastor angered U.S. evangelicals, reports The Guardian, pushing Trump to punish the nation with strict sanctions that have contributed to the Turkish lira's downward spiral. Now, Erdogan wants revenge.

"We will boycott U.S. electronic products," he said. "If they have iPhone, the other side has Samsung." Erdogan additionally encouraged citizens to use Turkish smartphone brands. Turkey's president dug his heels in on his theory that the economy is suffering as a result of a larger conspiracy against the nation. "They do not refrain from using the economy as a weapon against us, as they tried in the areas of diplomacy, military, or efforts for social and political instability," he said.

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Erdogan didn't offer any other details about his proposed boycott, but his defiance makes it clear that he's not ready to ease the diplomatic tensions between him and Trump. The lira recovered slightly Tuesday, but the nation still faces an economic crisis that could worsen before it improves. Read more at The Guardian.