Erdogan Condemns US for Bodyguard Warrants over May Beating: ‘What Kind of Law Is This?’ – Breitbart News
What kind of law is this? If my bodyguards cannot protect me then why am I bringing them to America with me? Erdogan exclaimed, as reported by Hurriyet Daily News.
Washington, DC, police issued warrants for the bodyguards on Thursday, at a press conference decorated with photos of the men stamped WANTED in red. The charges involve assault against protesters outside the Turkish ambassadors residence in D.C. on May 16, during Erdogans visit to the United States.
We all saw the violence that was perpetrated against peaceful protesters, and its not something that were going to tolerate, said D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham. He added that the suspects are all believed to have returned to Turkey and are thus unlikely to land in an American courtroom unless they surrender themselves, but he stated they would be arrested if the ever return to the United States. The U.S. State Department has not ruled out demanding their extradition.
In his remarks, Erdogan claimed the protesters were all affiliated with the violent separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), which is the Turkish governments name for the followers of exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, currently a resident of Pennsylvania. The Turkish government insists Gulen is the mastermind behind last years unsuccessful coup attempt against Erdogan.
The U.S. police did nothing. Can you imagine what the response would have been if a similar incident had taken place in Turkey? Erdogan asked, insinuating that the protesters were a threat to his safety. Its something of a trick questionbecause it is not very difficult to imagine how Erdogans security forces would respond to a protest by suspected PKK and FETO members that got within 50 feet him.
Turkeys Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador John Bass on Thursday to declare the arrest warrants against Erdogans bodyguards unacceptable. The statement repeated Erdogans allegations that local security authorities were at fault.
This incident would not have occurred if the US authorities had taken the usual measures they take in similar high-level visits and therefore that Turkish citizens cannot be held responsible for the incident that took place, the Foreign Ministry said.
The UK Guardian quotes Center for Strategic and International Studies analyst Bulent Aliriza, who stressed the Turks are very serious about the matterand worried the U.S. relationship with Turkey could suffer significant damage if the warrants are allowed to stand.
There will be demands for action that may ultimately damage the diplomatic relationship to the point of ambassadors being yanked back, which is unprecedented, Aliriza said.
P.S. DO YOU WANT MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR INBOX?SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BREITBART NEWSLETTER.
- Turkeys Erdogan offers support to Trump in call after White House dinner shooting By Reuters - Investing.com - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Erdogan urges Muslim unity, faith as world turns blind eye to suffering - Daily Trust - May 1st, 2026 [May 1st, 2026]
- Erdogan rejects criticism of Turkey's peace efforts with Kurdish militants - Reuters - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Turkey's Erdogan offers support to Trump in call after White House dinner shooting - Yahoo - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan Unveils 20-Year 0% Tax Plan for Foreign Residents Relocating to Turkey - GreekReporter.com - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Trkiye proved its safe haven status during Iran war: Erdogan - Trkiye Today - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan offers support to Trump in call after White House dinner shooting - eKathimerini.com - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan: AI Revolution Has Transformed the Global Labor Market Structure - Hasht-e Subh Daily - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan unveils 20-year tax holiday to lure relocating foreign residents - Trkiye Today - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan condemns WH shooting in call with Trump - Breakingthenews.net - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Move to Turkey, pay no tax for 20 years: Erdogan's bold bet on foreign talent - Firstpost - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan rejects criticism of Turkey's peace efforts with Kurdish militants - The Star - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Dr. Koray Erdogan Becomes a Leading Figure in Turkey's Hair Transplant Industry - openPR.com - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan offers 20-year Turkey tax haven holidays to investors exiting war-shaken Gulf - IntelliNews - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan Condemns Attack: Support for Trump and Press Freedom - Devdiscourse - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Dr. Koray Erdogan Becomes a Leading Figure in Turkeys Hair Transplant Industry - Barchart.com - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Turkey Rejects Invitation for Erdogan to Attend EU Summit in Nicosia, Cypriot President Reveals - Greek City Times - April 29th, 2026 [April 29th, 2026]
- Erdogan warns of sabotage in Iran ceasefire - Arab News - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan tells Irans president that talks with US should aim for lasting peace - The Times of Israel - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan urges maximum use of peace talks in call with Iran's Pezeshkian - Trkiye Today - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan: The Ceasefire Between the United States and Iran Must Be Fully Implemented - Hasht-e Subh Daily - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan: US-Iran talks should be used to the max - Breakingthenews.net - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan tells Trump that ceasefire must lead to permanent peace - eKathimerini.com - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan tells Trump ceasefire must not be 'sabotaged' - Breakingthenews.net - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan warns against 'provocations and sabotage,' thanks Pakistan - Trkiye Today - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan tells Trump that the ceasefire agreement must be protected from any escalation - - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Turkish President Erdogan Assesses Israel as Damaging Peace Initiative in the Middle East - VOI.id - April 10th, 2026 [April 10th, 2026]
- Erdogan says Turkey stepping up efforts to end Iran war - The Times of Israel - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Turkey is striving to bring about an end to the 'unlawful, meaningless' war in Iran, Erdogan says - AP News - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan accuses Israel of blocking peace, warns of Hormuz shock - Trkiye Today - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan govt claims social media platforms agree to mandatory ID login as censorship and pressure increase - Nordic Monitor - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan says Turkey intensifies efforts to end war - Breakingthenews.net - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Turkey is striving to bring about an end to the 'unlawful, meaningless' war in Iran, Erdogan says - Yahoo News Canada - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Ukraine's Zelenskyy Heads to Talks with President Erdogan - caspianpost.com - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Zelensky and Erdogan Strengthen Security and Energy Ties in Istanbul Talks - GreekReporter.com - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan: We have accelerated diplomatic efforts to stop the war - Apa.az - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan hails Anadolu agency on its 106th anniversary - Yeni Safak English - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Zelensky arrives in Istanbul for talks with Erdogan - Ministries of the President's Office - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Erdogan: Closing the Strait of Hormuz would shake the global economy in every sector - MTV Lebanon - April 7th, 2026 [April 7th, 2026]
- Putin holds call with Turkey's Erdogan to discuss Middle East - Reuters - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- After meeting with Erdogan, Zelensky vows greater security cooperation with Turkey - The Times of Israel - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Erdogan assures of continued support from Turkey for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia - Ukrinform - Ukrainian National News Agency - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Zelensky Arrives in Turkey for Talks With Erdogan Amid Black Sea Tensions - Kyiv Post - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Zelensky in Istanbul for security talks with Erdogan - The Herald Palladium - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Erdogan reminded Zelensky about the safety of navigation in the Black Sea - EADaily - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Russia and Ukraine trade deadly strikes as Zelenskyy travels to Istanbul for talks with Erdogan - AP News - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Zelenskyy Arrives In Turkey To Meet Erdogan - Al Arabiya English - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Zelensky arrives in Istanbul ahead of talks with Erdogan - Breakingthenews.net - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Erdogan's Diplomatic Push: Bridging Tensions in the Black Sea - Devdiscourse - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Zelenskyy says he has reached agreement with Erdogan on new steps in the security sphere - Apa.az - April 5th, 2026 [April 5th, 2026]
- Erdogan Warns of Iran War Spillover, Stresses Trkiyes Neutrality - Asharq Al-Awsat | Explore World News Today - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Turkish President and Leader of the Justice and Development (AK) Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan - reutersconnect.com - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Erdogan lobbies Fico in campaign to lift EU sanctions on Uzbek tycoon Usmanov - IntelliNews - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Erdogan: Israel turned region into war zone - Breakingthenews.net - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Inside Mesut Ozil's new life in Istanbul: Living in a $10m mega-mansion, how Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan became 'grandpa' to his children,... - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Senseless war in Middle East is costing all of humanity: Erdogan - TRT World - April 3rd, 2026 [April 3rd, 2026]
- Trkiye determined to be 'outside the ring of fire': Erdogan - TRT World - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Erdogan says Turkey exploring ways to bring an end to Iran war - The Times of Israel - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Erdogan advisor linked to IRGC Quds Force spent several years at World Bank in Washington - Nordic Monitor - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Erdogan: Netanyahu 'must be stopped immediately' - breakingthenews.net - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Erdogan is secretly interfering in the course of the war in the Middle East - Online.UA - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Erdogan could persuade Putin to enter peace talks with Ukraine Ambassador Dzhelyal - Ukrinform - March 26th, 2026 [March 26th, 2026]
- Turkey's Erdogan says Iran war must stop before whole region dragged in - Reuters - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan says Turkey will not get dragged into Mideast war after Iranian missile incidents - The Times of Israel - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Turkeys Erdogan: Antisemitism is an evil crime that cannot be legitimized - The Times of Israel - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan says war must be stopped before it engulfs the region - Xinhua - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- War must be stopped before it engulfs entire region in flames: Erdogan - arabnews.jp - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan warns of traps to drag Trkiye into war after Iranian missile incidents - Trkiye Today - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan aide who said Turkey is at war with Crusaders named ambassador to Vatican - Nordic Monitor - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan: War must be stopped 'before it engulfs entire region in flames' - Middle East Eye - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan says Turkey will not get dragged into the Iran war - Yahoo - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Erdogan: Turkey won't get dragged into Iran war - breakingthenews.net - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- War must be stopped before it engulfs entire region in flames: Erdogan - Arab News - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- War on Iran might boost Erdogan's profile as the 'man for stability' - Trkiye Today - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- War must be stopped before it engulfs entire region in flame: Erdogan - Al Arabiya English - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- President Erdogan says Trkiye is exemplary country where everyone enjoys freedom of religion - Anadolu Ajans - March 17th, 2026 [March 17th, 2026]
- Turkey's Erdogan offers to try to revive a truce as Pakistan-Afghan border clashes enter sixth day - AP News - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Erdogan says attacks on Iran are clear violation of international law - eKathimerini.com - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- Turkeys Erdogan says he is saddened by Khameneis death - The Times of Israel - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was issuing warnings 'in the clearest terms' - IslanderNews.com - March 4th, 2026 [March 4th, 2026]