As world paused today (Tuesday) for the summit meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, footage of the event displayed undeniably unusual body language between the two leaders—revealing a seemingly blurred power dynamic.
ABD Başkanı Trump:
Merhaba Asker! pic.twitter.com/EknzAaIJdb
— Conflict (@ConflictTR) July 7, 2026
In one clip, Erdogan is seen gripping the American president’s arm and leading him from behind—a gesture completely uncharacteristic of Trump, who is acutely aware of every move he makes, and always maintaining the upper hand.
Moreover, according to the New York Times, a publication that has been the subject of heavy international criticism and recently accused of systemic anti-Israel bias, the American president is now willing to let Ankara back into the exclusive F-35 fighter jet program and allow it to purchase the advanced aircraft. Turkey was kicked out of the project in 2019 following its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system.
The summit comes at a particularly sensitive time in U.S.-Europe relations. In recent months, Trump has escalated his criticism of America’s traditional allies, claiming that Washington has carried Europe’s security burden for years. Among other things, he’s criticized countries that aren’t meeting NATO spending targets, attacked Denmark over Greenland, and expressed frustration over European countries’ refusal to allow usage of their territory for American strikes against Iran.
Against this backdrop, this uncharacteristic dynamic between Trump and Erdogan has drawn attention as Washington reassesses its relationships with key allies. Whether the optics reflect a broader shift in U.S.-Turkey relations remains to be seen.