Trump says Erdogan has a 'great relationship with the Kurds'

Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
(Image credit: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)

President Trump welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the White House on Wednesday, and during a joint press conference praised the leader for his "great relationship with the Kurds."

Last month, Trump ordered a withdrawal of U.S. troops in Syria, paving the way for Turkey to launch a military assault against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The SDF fought against the Islamic State, and took over land ISIS controlled near the Turkish border, which was too close for Erdogan's comfort — Turkey considers the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) a terrorist group, and the SDF an offshoot. Since the assault began last month, there have been several reports of Turkish-backed Arab fighters carrying out ethnic violence against Kurds in Syria.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.