Trump agrees to visit Turkey after invitation from Turkish president, official says

ANKARA, Turkey — A Turkish official says U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s invitation to visit the country that straddles Asia and Europe.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters after a Cabinet meeting on Monday that Trump wants to make the trip in 2019 but a date hasn't been set.

RELATED

Mattis signs order to withdraw US troops from Syria

Mattis signed the order to withdraw from Syria, a plan he opposed and reportedly resigned over.

By Tara Copp, AP

Kalin says Erdogan extended the invitation during a weekend phone call between the two presidents on the withdrawal of American troops from Syria.

Trump tweeted on Sunday that he had a “long and productive” call with Erdogan in which they discussed “the slow & highly coordinated” pullout of U.S. military personnel.

Trump’s surprise decision to withdraw troops from Syria was also announced last week after a call with Erdogan.

RELATED

Trump move to pull US troops from Syria opens way to turmoil

The United States' Kurdish allies had been gearing up for a new fight for weeks, digging trenches and defense tunnels in northeastern Syria in preparation for an offensive Turkey’s president warned was imminent.

In Other News

VA expects 30K voluntary job cuts by October, erasing need for layoffs

More than 17,000 Veterans Affairs jobs have been eliminated or vacated since the start of the year.

No ‘significant’ mover capacity problems expected for troops, DOD says

The DOD says a new task force is "fully engaged" in overseeing the process of troops' household goods moves during this peak season.

Lawmaker proposes Iranian Campaign Medal for strikes on nuclear sites

Pilots and supporting service members involved in the complex airstrikes would be eligible for the new military medal.

House passes $435 billion spending plan for VA in fiscal 2026

Republicans approved plans for an 18% boost in total Veterans Affairs spending next year, but the measure is far from becoming law.

Advocates recruit vets to attend Afghan allies’ immigration hearings

The effort is designed to show support for legal immigration of more Afghans who worked alongside American forces during the war overseas.

Load More