Erdoğan calls disinformation a national security threat

ANKARA

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 28 said his government considers disinformation a national security issue, vowing to continue efforts to counter what he described as a threat to social trust and democracies.

“Today, disinformation has become... an asymmetrical element that weakens the sense of unity and trust in societies and threatens democracies. We will continue our fight against disinformation with this understanding, resolutely, in line with the vital importance of the issue,” Erdoğan said at a communication summit in Ankara.

The president said public institutions, universities, media organizations, civil society groups and the private sector had played active roles in preparations for the gathering.

He said 425 experts participated in several working groups, developing proposals to address current challenges, with a final declaration expected to be signed on July 29.

“Social media platforms, in particular, significantly determine how much attention we pay to a particular topic, how we approach issues, and often what kind of reactions we receive,” Erdoğan said.

“Furthermore, they distort not only the present but also the past, constructing an imaginary history, a lifeless, soulless and shallow identity,” he added. “The concept that suffers the most in this process is, undoubtedly, truth.”

Later in the day, Erdoğan was scheduled to meet Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, who arrived in Türkiye as part of his first regional diplomatic engagements since taking office.

Al-Zaidi became prime minister in May following lengthy negotiations after Iraq’s November 2025 elections. His visit to Ankara is his third foreign trip after stops in the United States and Iran, with reports saying Saudi Arabia is expected to be his next destination.

Ankara is seeking to maintain the momentum in bilateral ties, which expanded across multiple sectors and reached the level of a strategic partnership during the tenure of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.

Erdoğan had previously expressed support for al-Zaidi’s candidacy and invited him to Ankara during a phone call in June for comprehensive talks on bilateral relations.

The timing of the visit has added significance as tensions continue between the United States and Iran and restrictions remain on passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

Among the countries most affected by the conflict, Iraq has sought through recent diplomatic initiatives to emphasize the need for restoring regional stability as soon as possible.

The Ankara talks were expected to focus on key areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and economic ties, with memorandums of understanding potentially signed in several fields.

Türkiye’s Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the visit would provide an opportunity to “review relations between the two countries in all their dimensions” and exchange views on regional and global developments.