A new book by a former White House press secretary has revealed that the Turkish president and his delegation were perplexed by a question from former US president Donald Trump, Turkish media reported on Thursday.
Former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham has written a new tell-all book titled “I’ll Take Your Questions Now: What I Saw at the Trump White House.”
According to the book, during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his delegation, Trump “suddenly asked, ‘Have you seen Midnight Express?’”
Erdoğan and his delegation had no idea how to respond to the question. The film, produced in 1978, is about a young American who was imprisoned in Turkey and was beaten and sexually assaulted. Oliver Stone, who directed the film, had later apologized for his depiction of Turkey.
“It’s a dark movie for you,” Trump reportedly said, before moving on.
“There was little reaction from the delegation,” Grisham wrote.
Grisham’s book will be released by HarperCollins in October.
Grisham was Trump’s third White House spokesman, and she also served as chief of staff and press secretary for first lady Melania Trump.
This was the first time Erdoğan had failed to come up with a proper response to his US counterpart’s abrupt and impolite remarks.
In October 2019 Trump warned Erdoğan in a letter about Turkey’s incursion into Syria.
“History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way. 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!” Trump in the letter.
Turkish presidential sources told BBC Turkish, “President Erdoğan received the letter, thoroughly rejected it and put it in the bin” although Erdoğan later visited the US as if nothing had happened.