Bolton Book Puts New Focus on Trumps Actions in Turkey and China Cases – The New York Times
WASHINGTON It was late 2018, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey was on the phone with an unusual request for President Trump: Could he intervene with top members of his cabinet to curb or even shut down a criminal investigation into Halkbank, one of Turkeys largest state-owned banks?
It was not Mr. Erdogans only effort to persuade the Trump administration to back off the investigation into the bank, which had been accused of violating United States sanctions against Iran.
His government had hired a lobbying firm run by a friend of and fund-raiser for Mr. Trump to press his case with the White House and State Department. And there would be more phone calls between the two leaders in which the topic came up, according to participants in the lobbying.
Mr. Erdogans influence campaign is now under scrutiny again in Washington, following the disclosure that Mr. Trumps former national security adviser, John R. Bolton, reported in his forthcoming book his concern that the president was effectively granting personal favors to Mr. Erdogan and President Xi Jinping of China.
People familiar with the unpublished manuscript said Mr. Bolton wrote that he had shared his concern with Attorney General William P. Barr and that Mr. Barr responded by pointing to Mr. Trumps intervention in two cases linked to Turkey and China: the investigation of Halkbank and Mr. Trumps decision in 2018 to lift sanctions on ZTE, a major Chinese telecommunications company.
The Justice Department has disputed Mr. Boltons account. But on Tuesday, top Democrats seized on the suggestions of meddling in the Halkbank and ZTE cases as fresh evidence that Mr. Trump, whose family enterprise has extensive business ties to Turkey and also has considered building new towers in China and expanding in other areas, was using the presidency to enrich himself and his family.
Several members of the administration had concerns about the presidents dealings with autocrats, Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic minority leader, said at a news conference. Did the president have financial interests at stake when he was talking to Erdogan or Xi and others?
He added: Maybe his kids had some economic interest at stake. And did it impact our nations foreign policy with those countries?
Former foreign policy officials including some who served in Republican administrations said in interviews that Mr. Trump plays an unusual and at times disturbing role in high-profile criminal and sanction cases involving foreign governments.
What I know about his intervention in the Halkbank case is highly abnormal and quite worrying, actually, said Philip Zelikow, a history professor at the University of Virginia who served on the National Security Council staff for President George Bush.
Suggesting that Mr. Trump was putting private, commercial interests above those of the United States, Mr. Zelikow added: There have been interventions on behalf of a foreign government that are hard to explain in traditional public interest terms.
Mr. Trumps involvement in the Halkbank investigation started early in his administration. In 2017, he was asked by Rudolph W. Giuliani during an Oval Office meeting with Rex W. Tillerson, then the secretary of state, to help secure the release of a Turkish gold trader at the center of Halkbanks sanctions-evasion efforts.
The gold trader, Reza Zarrab, who had hired Mr. Giuliani to help secure his release, had been accused by federal prosecutors of playing a central role in an effort by Halkbank to funnel more than $10 billion in gold and cash to Iran, in defiance of United States sanctions designed to curb Irans nuclear program.
Turkey also wanted the trader released, former Turkish government officials said, so that he would not testify against top bank officials or implicate members of Mr. Erdogans family or Mr. Erdogan himself.
The push failed to secure Mr. Zarrabs release and was abandoned after he agreed to testify on behalf of the Justice Department to help obtain the conviction of a Halkbank executive in early 2018.
But that was just the start of the lobbying.
Mr. Erdogan, in a series of phone calls and in-person conversations in 2018 and 2019, repeatedly tried to persuade Mr. Trump to use his power to limit additional enforcement action against Halkbank itself, something the Justice Department had made clear it was considering.
After one phone conversation in late 2018, Mr. Erdogan told reporters in Turkey that Mr. Trump had told him that he would instruct the relevant ministers immediately to follow through on the matter.
Talks are underway about this issue, Mr. Erdogan said at the time. It is very important that this process has begun.
Mr. Erdogans son-in-law, who serves as Turkeys finance minister, also took up the case, pressing Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on the matter. Other appeals were made by the former project manager of Trump Towers Istanbul, a twin-tower complex and mall that was the Trump familys first high-rise project in Europe.
Asked about Turkeys lobbying efforts in an interview in October, Mr. Mnuchin cited the ongoing legal process and would not comment.
The bank had separately hired a lobbying firm run by Brian D. Ballard, a top fund-raiser for Mr. Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee. The lobbyists from Mr. Ballards team argued to the State Department and White House that any criminal charges against the state-owed bank could destabilize the Turkish economy.
For months, it looked like Turkey was going to succeed in this unusual lobbying campaign asking a United States president to put pressure on his own Justice Department to protect a state-owned bank. Mr. Barr, who was confirmed in February 2019, played a key role in overseeing the negotiations over a possible settlement with the bank that would have seen it avoid criminal charges, representatives for Halkbank said in interviews last year.
Only after Turkey invaded Syria in early October did the Justice Department move to indict the bank.
President Trump has been carrying water for President Erdogan and Turkeys state-owned Halkbank, said Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the finance committee. Every member of Congress should be profoundly alarmed that Donald Trump is trying to get the bank accused of the largest Iranian sanctions violation scheme in U.S. history off the hook because his authoritarian pal asked for a favor.
Mr. Trumps 2018 intervention in the case of ZTE was equally perplexing to some observers. Two years before, the United States found the Chinese company guilty of violating American sanctions on Iran and North Korea. In April 2018, the Trump administration moved to punish ZTE by banning it from buying American technology.
But Mr. Trump suddenly had a change of heart, essentially pardoning the company in exchange for a $1 billion fine and promises to replace its senior leadership and allow American compliance monitors.
The decision came after a direct plea to Mr. Trump from Mr. Xi in the midst of intense maneuvering over trade talks between the two countries and as the United States was preparing for a summit with North Korea.
It drew bipartisan backlash on Capitol Hill. Top lawmakers, including Senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, had urged the administration not to bend on ZTE, which they considered a law enforcement and national security issue.
Chinese officials had made it clear that they considered lifting ZTEs penalty a condition for reaching a trade deal. There was also the implicit threat that, if the penalty was not lifted, American companies operating in China would face further retaliation. The United States has also relied on China to exert pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program.
The Trump family had for years worked on plans to build a series of new hotel or apartment building projects in China, goals put on hold after Mr. Trump was elected president.
His administration scrambled to quiet the growing dissent, and Mr. Trump lashed out at Democrats for having allowed ZTE to flourish under President Barack Obamas watch.
In May 2018, Wilbur L. Ross Jr., the commerce secretary, and Mr. Mnuchin traveled to Capitol Hill to brief a group of Senate Republicans, including Mr. Rubio, John Cornyn of Texas and Bob Corker of Tennessee, on their plans for ZTE. Mr. Ross and Mr. Mnuchin sought to assure the lawmakers that they were planning on harsh penalties for ZTE and appealed to Republicans to dampen their public criticism so a deal could be reached, a person briefed on the discussions said.
Chinese officials widely speculated that the penalties on ZTE were an effort by the Trump administration to gain the upper hand in the trade talks. But people briefed on the discussions say Trump administration officials had not fully realized what a complication the measure would become in the trade talks.
Since then, ZTE has made a gradual recovery, and its profits have rebounded. And although its run-in with the Trump administration tarnished its smartphone brand with consumers, cellphone carriers around the world have still been willing to work with the company to build 5G mobile networks.
The handling of ZTE has raised questions about whether Mr. Trump will follow through with imposing restrictions on Huawei, another Chinese telecommunications company that the White House views as a national security threat.
Elizabeth Rosenberg, who served as a senior Treasury adviser working on sanctions issues during the Obama administration and who now studies sanctions policy at the Center for a New American Security, said Mr. Trumps interventions were unusual and disruptive.
This is not the norm in Washington, she said. He is making up sanctions policy on his own, and influencing the course of policy in a way that undermines United States priorities and has shocked United States allies.
Ana Swanson contributed reporting from Washington, Raymond Zhong from Shanghai and Michael Forsythe from New York.
Link:
Bolton Book Puts New Focus on Trumps Actions in Turkey and China Cases - The New York Times
- Turkey detains hundreds of Erdogan opponents in pursuit of 'octopus' of corruption - Reuters - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- President Erdogan will 'deliver a historic speech' on July 12: Spokesperson - Trkiye Today - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Turkish President Erdogan Cracks Down on the Opposition Party - The National Interest - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Turkey Blocks Grok AI on X for Alleged Insults to Erdogan, Atatrk, and Religious Values - Greek City Times - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Turkey Blocks Grok Content For Alleged Humiliation Of Erdogan And Religious Values - VOI.ID - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Trkiye bans Elon Musks AI chatbot Grok over insults to Erdogan, Ataturk - Trkiye Today - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- As Erdogan cracks down on opposition, is Turkey headed to early election? - Firstpost - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Erdogan Says Yerevan is More Flexible on So-Called Zangezur Corridor - Asbarez - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 3 mayors arrested in southern Turkey as part of crackdown on opposition to Erdogan - The Times of Israel - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Erdogan expects F-35 deliveries during Trump presidency, rejects Greek concerns - Defence Industry Europe - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Erdogan meets with pro-Kurdish party delegation in 'historic' peace talks - Trkiye Today - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Turkeys pro-Kurdish party will meet with President Erdogan By Reuters - Investing.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Erdogan says asked Trump to intervene over shootings at Gaza aid centers - The Times of Israel - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan confident Turkey to be readmitted to F-35 programme - The New Arab - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Turkish Police Detain Three More Mayors From Party Opposed to Erdogan - WSJ - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan confident Turkey will receive F-35 jets under deal with Trump - eKathimerini.com - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan: Peace with Kurds to gain momentum as PKK starts laying down arms - kurdistan24.net - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan says PKK arms decision will accelerate peace process - Trkiye Today - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- PKK disarmament to boost peace with Kurds: Erdogan - New Age BD - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan and Sharif discuss trade expansion and Gaza crisis at Azerbaijan summit - Trkiye Today - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Armenias vision of unblocking anchored on sovereignty and national jurisdiction: Foreign Ministry responds to Erdogan - Armenpress - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- Erdogan: I truly believe Khankendi will become a center of peace - Latest news from Azerbaijan - July 6th, 2025 [July 6th, 2025]
- As Trump Pushes Syria Toward Israel, Erdogan Asks What's in It for Him - Haaretz - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Erdogan vows action against magazine over alleged religious insult - rudaw.net - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Erdogan pushes for F-35 deal with US in bid to strengthen Turkey's Air Force, expert says - The Jerusalem Post - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- Turkey agrees to increase water flow to Iraq after meeting between Al-Mashhadani and Erdogan - Iraqi News - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- President Erdogan to visit Azerbaijan for Economic Cooperation Organization Summit - Trkiye Today - July 4th, 2025 [July 4th, 2025]
- U.S. envoy expects Trump, Erdogan to resolve arms sanctions on Turkey this year -Anadolu - Reuters - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Erdogan reiterates gratitude to Azerbaijan for earthquake relief support - Latest news from Azerbaijan - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- Erdogan hails 2024 as record year for exports, pledges continued growth in 2025 - TRT Global - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- US envoy expects Trump, Erdogan to resolve arms sanctions on Turkiye this year - Arab News - July 2nd, 2025 [July 2nd, 2025]
- EUs aid to Turkey diverted to spying operations in Europe by Erdogan govt - Nordic Monitor - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Trump, Erdogan hold first meeting at NATO as ties warm: What to know - AL-Monitor - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- President Erdogan condemns terrorist attack in Pakistan near Afghan border - Trkiye Today - June 29th, 2025 [June 29th, 2025]
- Erdogan Claims Progress in Bid to Secure F-35 Fighter Jet From United States - Foundation for Defense of Democracies - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Turkey hopes for progress on F-35 jets after Trump meeting, Erdogan says - The Times of Israel - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Erdogan says Trump would join Ukraine peace talks in Turkey if Putin attends - Reuters - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- World Juniors Qualifier Talya Erdogan is Headed to George Washington University for 2025 - SwimSwam - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Turkeys Erdogan says positive developments on Eurofighter jets - eKathimerini.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Erdogan with Trump after five years: why can they get along better now? - Yetkin Report - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Trkiye in talks with the US to rejoin F-35 programme, says Erdogan - TRT Global - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Erdogan says Turkey hopes for progress on F-35s after Trump meeting - Investing.com - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Erdogan said that the Russian S-400 air defense systems are not enough to protect Turkey - EADaily - June 28th, 2025 [June 28th, 2025]
- Erdogan says wont let terror drag Syria back to instability - arabnews.jp - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Erdogan to attend June 2425 NATO summit in The Hague as allies mull defense spending hike - Trkiye Today - June 24th, 2025 [June 24th, 2025]
- Erdogan says Israel-Iran war near point of no return, vows to boost missile production - The Times of Israel - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Armenian prime minister discusses reconciliation with Erdogan in landmark Turkey visit - AP News - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Armenian prime minister to meet Erdogan in rare visit to Turkey aimed at mending ties - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan vows to boost Turkeys missile production as Israel-Iran war escalates - AP News - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan tells Iranian FM talks are only way to settle nuclear dispute - The Times of Israel - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan says he's 'optimistic victory will be Iran's' in blistering speech as strikes continue - MSN - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Turkish President Erdogan warns against 'new Sykes-Picot order' in the Middle East - Yahoo - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan: Iran-Israel conflict reaching point of no return - The Times of Israel - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Pashinyan-Erdogan meeting may be a game-changer in Armenia-Turkish relations - Commonspace.eu - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan: Israeli strikes on Iran aimed at derailing nuclear talks with US - The Times of Israel - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- UNRWA to open office in Trkiye: Erdogan - TRT Global - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Erdogan, Trump tried to broker secret US-Iran talks in Istanbul: Report - Trkiye Today - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Netanyahu government is the 'greatest obstacle' in regional peace: Erdogan - TRT Global - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during the 51st Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in... - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- Turkeys Erdogan says Israel attacks aimed to sabotage Iran nuclear talks By Reuters - Investing.com - June 22nd, 2025 [June 22nd, 2025]
- President Sheikh Mohamed and Turkey's Erdogan call for dialogue as conflict rages between Israel and Iran - thenationalnews.com - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Erdogan, Aliyev Rejoice Over Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh - Asbarez - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Erdogan Attempts to Rally the Muslim World Against Israel - Foundation for Defense of Democracies - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Erdogan says Iran has 'legitimate right to defend itself against Israel's thuggery,' compares Netanyahu to Hitler - The Times of Israel - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Putin, Erdogan condemn Israeli actions against Iran - The Times of Israel - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Erdogan says Iran has 'legitimate and legal right' to self-defence against Israel - Middle East Eye - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Saar slams oppressive and imperialist Erdogan for defending Iran, comparing PM to Hitler - The Times of Israel - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Trkiye will never forget Azerbaijani people's solidarity after earthquakes: Erdogan - TRT Global - June 20th, 2025 [June 20th, 2025]
- Erdogan slams Israels banditry after Iran strikes - The Times of Israel - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Israeli disinformation campaign on President Erdogan's daughter refuted by Trkiye - Trkiye Today - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Erdogan steers Turkey toward end of secularism with new constitution draft - The Arab Weekly - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Turkey to export 48 fighter jets to Indonesia: Erdogan - The Economic Times - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Erdogan: The international community must say stop to Israeli banditry - NEWS.am - June 14th, 2025 [June 14th, 2025]
- Plans afoot for an Erdogan trip to the White House - eKathimerini.com - June 10th, 2025 [June 10th, 2025]
- Erdogan proposes Putin-Zelensky meeting in Turkey, with Trump's participation - Gazeta Express - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Turkish President Erdogan greets the nation on Eid al Adha - TRT Global - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Turkey becoming one of main centers of peace diplomacy - Erdogan - Ukrinform - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Appeasing Erdogan, losing the Med - eKathimerini.com - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is pushing for Turkish women to have more babies - IslanderNews.com - June 7th, 2025 [June 7th, 2025]
- Turkey's Erdogan appoints legal team to draft new constitution, sparking fears of extended rule - AP News - May 28th, 2025 [May 28th, 2025]