President Donald Trump appeared to accuse Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan of presiding over “rigged elections” during a pointed exchange at the White House on Thursday, underscoring both Trump’s willingness to confront foreign leaders and his continued insistence on election integrity at home and abroad.
Erdogan, who has ruled Turkey since 2003 and served as president since 2014, has long faced questions over the legitimacy of his victories.
The concerns escalated after the country’s 2017 referendum, which outside observers and a study published in PLOS ONE said was marred by charges of fraud and systemic bias.
“Rigged elections,” Trump remarked, pointing directly at Erdogan. “He knows about rigged elections better than anybody.” The president linked his quip to his own belief that he had been unfairly forced from office in 2020, saying, “We have been friends for a long time, actually, even for four years, when I was in exile.”
The moment reflected Trump’s trademark style — direct, unscripted, and at times combative — even when engaging with a foreign leader whose country remains a NATO ally. But it also revealed his persistent focus on the issue of election fairness, a theme that continues to animate his supporters.
Despite the sharp jab, Trump was quick to acknowledge Erdogan’s stature. “This is a tough man. This is a guy who is highly opinionated,” Trump said. “Usually, I don’t like opinionated people, but I like this one.”
The meeting touched on several pressing issues beyond electoral integrity. Trump highlighted the release of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who had been jailed in Turkey for two years on charges widely criticized as politically motivated. “Brunson’s release [was] a great thing for our Christian community,” Trump said, framing it as a major achievement of his administration’s diplomatic pressure on Ankara.
Trump: Rigged election. *points to Erdogan* He knows about rigged elections better than anybody. pic.twitter.com/aEMYYckJYp
— Acyn (@Acyn) September 25, 2025
The president also pressed Erdogan on Turkey’s deepening ties with Moscow, particularly its purchases of Russian oil.
With Russia continuing its war in Ukraine, Trump urged Ankara to reconsider its energy trade. “It’s a waste of human life,” Trump said, signaling his desire for Erdogan to take a firmer stance against Moscow’s aggression.
Trump’s dual approach — criticizing Erdogan’s electoral record while lauding his toughness — reflected his broader foreign policy instincts: a willingness to disrupt diplomatic niceties while cutting deals and securing results that he sees as beneficial to the United States and its allies.
The exchange also carried domestic resonance. Trump’s use of the term “rigged elections” and his self-described “exile” served as reminders of his continuing argument that the 2020 election was unfairly decided.
For Trump, Erdogan’s checkered record on democracy provided a convenient foil to underscore his own long-running complaints about election integrity.
While critics may view such blunt rhetoric as reckless, Trump’s supporters see it as refreshing candor.
His ability to publicly rib a fellow world leader while also negotiating key issues on religious liberty, trade, and energy policy underscored the qualities that made him a singular figure on the world stage.
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