Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Barack Obama

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both as Prime Minister and later President, experienced a significant cooling in relations with Barack Obama, contrasting sharply with the initial post-election optimism. In 2008, Erdogan congratulated President-elect Obama, expressing confidence in a "model partnership" and Turkey’s role as a bridge between the West and the Middle East. However, this early positive sentiment deteriorated due to deep disagreements on crucial foreign policy areas, most notably Iran, where Ankara was perceived in Washington as Iran’s most vocal advocate. Later, the relationship further soured over Washington's support for Kurdish groups in Syria, leading Erdogan to state he no longer spoke directly to the US President because he felt deceived over agreements concerning the PKK.

Despite the evident strain and communication breakdown, which included Erdogan criticizing Obama for silence after the Chapel Hill killings in 2015, the leaders maintained a foundation of strategic cooperation, such as fighting terrorism and coordinating on regional stability in Iraq and Syria. Following the Obama years, Erdogan expressed hope for stronger ties with the succeeding US administration after feeling his mutual agreement on counter-terrorism was betrayed by the former president. The shift from hailing a "historic day" to admitting to no longer speaking directly highlights the volatile nature of their bilateral relationship.