Trump Hails 'Friend' Erdogan's Victory In Turkey Elections As 'Big And Well Deserved'

Former President Donald Trump congratulated Recep Tayyip Erdogan for winning Turkey's re-election on Sunday.

What Happened: Trump took to his social media platform to celebrate "friend" Erdogan's victory, defeating opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu in Sunday’s run-off election. 

See Also: Turkey’s Erdogan Says ‘Need To Teach America A Lesson’ After US Envoy Meets Opposition Presidential Candidate

"Congratulations to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his big and well deserved victory in Turkey. I know him well, he is a friend, and have learned firsthand how much he loves his country and the great people of Turkey, which he has lifted to a new level of prominence and respect!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

In power since 2002, Erdogan secured a victory in the run-off election against Kilicdaroglu, obtaining 52.1% of the vote compared to Kilicdaroglu’s 47.9%. His opponent sharply criticized the election as "the most unfair election in years" but did not pursue a challenge to the results.

See Also: Turkey’s Erdogan Says Election Triumph Will Give ‘Message To The West’ In Barb At US

Why It Matters: The increasingly authoritarian leader faced tough competition this time amid the country's raging inflation. A second round of voting for Turkish leadership was held over the weekend as Erdogan and his main opponent failed to reach the 50% majority threshold in the first round. 

Washington and Ankara's relations have remained tense under President Joe Biden and Erdogan's leadership on various fronts, including political, military, and diplomatic issues. The Turkish president also recently alleged that “Biden gave the order to topple Erdogan, I know this. All my people know this.”

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