Erdoğan claims Trump apologised over bodyguard attack

Erdoğan said that Trump recently contacted him personally to apologize for the vicious melee that took place between the Turkish leader’s bodyguards and protesters
Wednesday, 20 September 2017 06:50

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in an interview that US President Donald Trump apologised to him for a violent fight between Edoğan's security guards and protesters outside the Turkish Embassy in Washington, DC in May. 

Erdoğan told "PBS NewsHour" on Tuesday that Trump had "called me about a week ago about this issue."

"He said that he was sorry and that he was going to follow up on this issue when we come to the United States within the framework for an official visit," Erdoğan said.

A White House spokesman pushed back against Erdoğan's account, saying the pair had "discussed a wide range of issues, but there was no apology."

Footage from the scene showed men in suits viciously attacking a group of anti-Erdoğan protesters, pushing them to the ground – men and women alike – and kicking some of them repeatedly in the head. Most of the attackers, the indictment states, were members of Erdoğan’s security detail.

Following the protester-guard brawl, Congress opted to pull out of a plan that would authorise Turkey to buy $1.2 million in American arms for the use of presidential guards. Erdoğan also said it was wrong of the United States to deny the sale of weapons to his security guards. Nineteen members of his security detail have been indicted over the daylight attack in front of the Turkish ambassador's residence that saw several demonstrators sent to the hospital for serious injuries.

Two Turkish-Americans were arrested and pleaded innocent to assault charges on September 7. The others, including 15 Turkish nationals and two Turkish-Canadians, remain at large outside the United States.

Erdoğan called democracy "strong" in Turkey country, following the arrest of thousands of civil servants a year after the failed coup attempt.