Erdoğan calls for removing obstacles to US defence partnership and $100 billion trade goal

At a New York ceremony marking a century of Turkey-US friendship, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for the removal of all impediments to defence cooperation with the United States, stressing that stronger ties would benefit both allies and NATO. He reported that Turkey’s annual defence exports now top $10 billion and expressed confidence that the country will soon rank among the world’s ten largest arms exporters.

Trade between the two nations surpassed $38 billion in 2025 and hit $28 billion in the first eight months of this year; Erdoğan expects $40 billion by year-end and considers the $100 billion target set with President Donald Trump attainable. He outlined plans to broaden collaboration in nuclear power, liquefied natural gas, civil aviation and high-tech sectors, and appealed to US companies to take advantage of incentives announced earlier this year. The president also referenced the close dialogue with Trump and the strategic importance of continued coordination amid regional crises.