Economics

Trump Says Obama Treated Erdogan Unfairly on Patriot Missile

Patriot missile deals fell through over technology conditions
Trump says ‘we’re discussing’ threatened S-400 sanctions

Vladimir Putin with Recep Erdogan in Osaka on June 29. Photographer: Yuri Kadobnov/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

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By Cagan Koc and Margaret Talev

June 29, 2019 at 2:48 AM UTC

Updated on

June 29, 2019 at 10:43 AM UTC

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Donald Trump said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was treated unfairly by the Obama administration when he sought to buy an American anti-aircraft missile system, and indicated he may reassess sanctions he’s threatened if Turkey goes ahead with a Russian purchase instead.

“They wouldn’t let him buy the missile he wanted to buy, which was the Patriot,” Trump told reporters on Saturday at the start of a meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, Japan. “You have to treat people fairly. And I don’t think he was treated fairly.”