Editorial: Narcissists, authoritarians, and friends

The American military machine does not trust him. The House of Representative recognised the genocide of the Armenians by the Turks and has imposed sanctions on Ankara

Yet, Trump sees Erdogan as his friend and ally even though he disapproves of Ankara’s purchase of Russian S-400s.

Macron considers Erdogan dangerous and has not reconciled himself with the attacks on Kurdish fighters in Syria. He is enraged by Turkey’s threat to pack Europe with refugees and jihadists.

Erdogan was the target of Macron’s scathing statement in an interview with The Economist in which he said that Nato has suffered a “death of the mind” and expressed reservations about Article 5 of the Alliance’s charter, which provides for immediate solidarity in the event that a member-state is attacked.

Yet, Trump is protecting Erdogan even as he threatens that if the Turkish president goes too far he will destroy the Turkish economy.

The US president received at the White House yesterday a man with whom he has many common traits.

Both are authoritarian, narcissistic, and are prone to betray their alliances. There can be no doubt that Trump likes Erdogan

The US presdident said he understands Turkey’s problems. If he were able to, he would hand over to Erdogan his arch-enemy Fetullah Gulen, whom Erdogan blames for the abortive coup against him.

A leader with the same traits, Vladimir Putin, recently entered the equation as regards the Trump-Erdogan courtship.

Suddenly, Erdogan must decide with whom he will side and whom he will leave behind.

In the end, however, everything may be resolved due to the affinity between authoritarian leaders.