PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed Donald Trump’s aggressive steel tariffs, urging his country to “trust in God”.
In an attempt to play down the escalating economic crisis which has engulfed his country and sparked worldwide market turmoil, he told his population while America had dollars, “we have God”.
Turkey’s currency hit a record low against the US dollar and euro early on Friday as it fell seven percent against the dollar, after initially losing 12 percent.
It comes as Turkey and the US have squared up over Ankara’s detention of US paster Andrew Brunson on terror charges and other issues.
Erdogan tried to allay fears, telling supporters in a speech today: "There are various campaigns being carried out. Don't heed them.
"Don't forget, if they have their dollars, we have our people, our God. We are working hard. Look at what we were 16 years ago and look at us now."
Erdogan has previously called himself “an enemy of interest rates” and told state TV ahead of his speech today “we will not lose the economic war”.
But Donald Trump’s intervention today added to Turkey’s woes as he pledged another round of Turkish tariffs.
Trump tweeted: “I have just authorised a doubling of Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum with respect to Turkey as their currency, the Turkish Lira, slides rapidly downward against our very strong Dollar!
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