Erdoğan warns against 'abuse' of press freedom
ANKARA
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on May 6 accused some journalists and broadcasters of misusing press freedom to "spread slander and disinformation," particularly targeting street interviews.
"We live in a country where anyone who has a microphone and a camera considers themselves a journalist and reporter. These individuals are causing terror under the name of street interviews," Erdoğan said during an event in Ankara.
Erdoğan criticized certain journalists for what he called a departure from the principle of "responsible broadcasting."
"Instead of taking the pulse of the people and expressing their feelings, our nation is openly inflamed with provocative questions and problematic language," he said.
"When the judiciary takes action against reputation assassinations and insults, this time a fuss is made under the name of press freedom. There is nothing acceptable about this."
The president said that Türkiye must raise the standards of its media ecosystem.
"Our objection is to the abuse of freedom of the press," he said.
"It is not possible in any democratic country in the world to carry out such irresponsible executions of dignity, fake news, slander and disinformation in Türkiye on the grounds of press freedom."
Such behavior harms social peace, democracy and the reputation of the media itself, he added.
"We have never had a problem with a media that holds a mirror to the truth and guides us in any period of our political life," Erdoğan said. "Constructive criticism and constructive opposition are situations that we always want to see in our country," he said.
"However, our stance is very clear against those who try to bring the political institution and the nation into line with the stick of the media, as in the past. We neither respect nor tolerate the media that is particularly keen on social engineering as an operational tool of foreign powers."
Meanwhile, Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump held a phone call on May 5 that both leaders described as “very productive,” discussing global crises including the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Syria.
In separate social media posts following the conversation, Trump and Erdoğan said they touched on efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, with Trump calling for an immediate resolution.
“I look forward to working with President Erdoğan on getting the ridiculous but deadly War between Russia and Ukraine ended — NOW!” Trump said in a post.
In his post on X, Erdoğan also confirmed that the two leaders invited each other for visits — Trump to Ankara at a “future date,” and Erdoğan to Washington — though no timelines were provided.
The two leaders also discussed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with Erdoğan expressing the need for the uninterrupted flow of aid and reaffirming Türkiye's support for a ceasefire and lasting peace.
On Syria, Erdoğan told Trump that Türkiye was working to protect Syria’s territorial integrity and urged him to consider easing sanctions on Damascus, a point of tension between Ankara and the West in recent years.
Trump aims to increase alliance: New envoy
Meanwhile, the newly appointed U.S ambassador to Türkiye said Trump’s goal is to incrase the Turkish-US alliance.
“I come with a really simple message from President Trump…which is his desire to raise the level of the alliance from Türkiye and the United States to the level that it deserves,” Thomas Barrack told reporters at Esenboğa Airport in the capital Ankara.
“The president's goal is to elevate through the people, through both great leaderships of great nations, to find an accelerated peace and prosperity that make Türkiye and the United States greater and the world better."
