Turkish media organisations close to the government have expressed serious concerns about US President-elect Donald Trump’s choice of Republican Representative Mike Waltz for his national security advisor, criticising Waltz’s support for Kurdish autonomy and warning of potential strains on US-Turkey relations. The outlets view his appointment as a threat to Turkey’s longstanding opposition to Kurdish independence movements, citing his consistent advocacy for Kurdish interests, describing them as “troubling”.
In a broadcast on Tuesday, CNNTürk, a pro-government network unaffiliated with CNN, portrayed Mike Waltz as a “PKK-friendly advisor” and warned of “serious ramifications” for Turkey if he joins the Trump administration. The programme’s anchor said that Waltz “openly supports the YPG [Syrian Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units] and the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] terrorists in Syria”, and described him as a “hawkish figure” likely to “intensify US policies in the region, potentially even more than the Biden administration”. Guest academic Dr Merve Suna Özcan commented, “With Waltz in office, we may witness a continuation of US support for terrorist groups on our border, which raises critical concerns for our own national security.”
Waltz, a retired US Special Forces officer and congressional advocate for Kurdish rights, has introduced resolutions recognising Kurdish partnerships and urged US support for Kurdish energy exports, currently restricted by Baghdad and regional disputes. He has also called on the US to counter Iranian-backed efforts in Iraq that threaten Kurdish autonomy, and commented on the dangers of withdrawing from Syria.
We need to keep our feet on the necks of ISIS. I think at the end of the day that the #Turks care more about the #Kurds than they do about ISIS, & we need to stand firm with our allies that have been fighting alongside us for the last several years .@EveningEdit .@LizMacDonaldFOX pic.twitter.com/LNUTTl5FLy
— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) January 8, 2019
Less controversially, Waltz has also called for remembrance of Kurds who died in the Halabja massacre of 1988 in which thousands were killed in a chemical attack under Saddam Hussein.
In the light of Waltz’s history of remarks around the Kurds, Turkey’s pro-government media highlighted concerns that his influence in the White House might embolden Kurdish political ambitions in Iraq and beyond, including in Turkey.
While Ankara has not issued an official response, the outlets close to the government conveyed fears that Waltz’s role could intensify US-Kurdish relations and promote Kurdish independence efforts. Analysts in Turkey have described Waltz’s appointment as potentially undermining Turkey’s interests, indicating a possible future rift between Washington and Ankara if US policies shift further in favour of Kurdish autonomy.
