’Don’t Be A Fool!’: Trump’s Threatening Letter To Erdogan Released

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump warned Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan not to be "a tough guy" on the day his forces crossed the border into Syria.

"History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way," Trump wrote in a letter, released by the White House, which was later forced to confirm that it was not a hoax.

"It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don't happen.”

"Don't be a tough guy. Don't be a fool! I will call you later," he added.

Using his favorite catchphrase, Trump said: “Let’s work out a good deal!"

He added: "You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy.”

Trump went on to suggest that General Mazloum Kobani, commander of the Kurdish army known as the Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF], was willing to negotiate with Erdogan.

General Mazloum was "willing to make concessions that they would never have made in the past," Trump wrote, adding that he was "confidently enclosing a copy of his letter to me, just received."

Trump had earlier referred to the letter during a press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, while he argued that he had not given Erdogan the "green light" to invade Syria.

"If anybody saw the letter, which can be released very easily if you'd like, I could certainly release it," he said. "But I wrote a letter right after that conversation – a very powerful letter. There was never given a green light."

However, the letter was dated 9 October, three days after Trump announced his intention to withdraw troops from Syria, following a phone call with Erdogan.