Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is visiting President Trump in the White House today and will hold a news conference with him this afternoon. The visit comes amid international condemnation of the recent Turkish offensive into northern Syria, which Turkey launched after President Trump abruptly withdrew U.S. troops from the area, clearing the way for the offensive.
U.S. military officials told CNN Tuesday that the Pentagon has a drone surveillance video showing a possible war crime being carried out by Turkish-commanded fighters in Syria. Last week, former national security adviser John Bolton surprised a Miami gathering of hedge fund managers when he said he thought Trump’s decisions on Turkey are motivated by personal relationships or financial interests.
The New York Times reports that three sons-in-law play key roles in the U.S.-Turkey relationship: the son-in-law of President Erdogan, who is Turkey’s finance minister; the son-in-law of a Turkish tycoon who became a business partner to the Trump Organization; and the son-in-law of President Trump, his senior adviser Jared Kushner, who oversees much of U.S. foreign policy.