Trump Says Not Considering Extraditing Gulen to Turkey
WASHINGTON (Dispatches) – U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday he was not considering extraditing a U.S.-based Muslim cleric to Turkey as part of an effort to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia.
"No, it’s not under consideration,” Trump told reporters when asked about potential extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who is wanted in Turkey over accusations he was involved in a failed 2016 coup.
NBC News reported Thursday the Trump administration had explored whether it could extradite Gulen, as a way to persuade Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.
The Justice Department had denied on Friday the matter had been discussed.
On Saturday, Trump said he got along well with Erdogan, and spoke of a desire to improve relations with Turkey. He also described Saudi Arabia as "a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development.”
Gulen, a Green Card-holder, has been living in Pennsylvania since the late 1990s.
The US and Turkey have been engaged in negotiations over a series of sensitive diplomatic issues over the past few months, including a deal for last month’s release of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who was imprisoned in Turkey and an agreement for joint U.S. and Turkish military patrols in Manbij, Syria.
Amid growing international pressure on the Saudi government over the murder, the U.S. has tried in recent weeks to appease the Ankara government over the case, convincing Erdogan to ease its pressure on Riyadh.
The allegations of Washington’s bid to extradite Erdogan’s arch-foe seem to be part of the same scenario. However, a Turkish official says the government does not link its concerns about the Khashoggi murder with Gulen's extradition case.
"We definitely see no connection between the two," the official said.
"No, it’s not under consideration,” Trump told reporters when asked about potential extradition of Fethullah Gulen, who is wanted in Turkey over accusations he was involved in a failed 2016 coup.
NBC News reported Thursday the Trump administration had explored whether it could extradite Gulen, as a way to persuade Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to ease pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month.
The Justice Department had denied on Friday the matter had been discussed.
On Saturday, Trump said he got along well with Erdogan, and spoke of a desire to improve relations with Turkey. He also described Saudi Arabia as "a truly spectacular ally in terms of jobs and economic development.”
Gulen, a Green Card-holder, has been living in Pennsylvania since the late 1990s.
The US and Turkey have been engaged in negotiations over a series of sensitive diplomatic issues over the past few months, including a deal for last month’s release of an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, who was imprisoned in Turkey and an agreement for joint U.S. and Turkish military patrols in Manbij, Syria.
Amid growing international pressure on the Saudi government over the murder, the U.S. has tried in recent weeks to appease the Ankara government over the case, convincing Erdogan to ease its pressure on Riyadh.
The allegations of Washington’s bid to extradite Erdogan’s arch-foe seem to be part of the same scenario. However, a Turkish official says the government does not link its concerns about the Khashoggi murder with Gulen's extradition case.
"We definitely see no connection between the two," the official said.