US Congressman David Kustoff said in an interview on Wednesday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is only hurting his citizens and country by putting tariffs on US products.
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2018) US Congressman David Kustoff said in an interview on Wednesday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is only hurting his citizens and country by putting tariffs on US products.
"I think from Turkeys standpoint, the leader there, Erdogan, has really, I think, crippled their country by the tariffs that theyve put on the United States. I mean, banning the iPhone, that only hurts their citizens." Kustoff told Fox business news. "I dont think it hurts us, but it hurts the Turkish people and the Turkish people should be concerned.
Earlier on Wednesday, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan announced the doubling of tariffs on $533 million worth of US goods, including cars, alcohol, fruit, coal and makeup.
The Turkish government said the move came in response to US President Donald Trump's decision on Friday to double tariffs on Turkish steel and aluminum imports.
The United States has also imposed sanctions on two Turkish ministers in connection with the detention of US pastor Andrew Brunson.
Turkish authorities put Brunson in jail in 2016 for alleged ties to the movement of Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, referred to as the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) by Ankara and accused of having orchestrated a failed military coup that took place in Turkey the same year.
The pastor was released from a Turkish prison in July and placed under house arrest.
