At the “100 Years of Friendship: Türkiye-United States” event held in New York, where he was attending the United Nations’ 81st General Assembly in the United States, President Erdoğan delivered messages on trade and defense industry cooperation between the two countries.
Erdoğan said trade between Türkiye and the United States had doubled over the past 10 years. He said bilateral trade exceeded $38 billion in 2025 and reached $28 billion in the first eight months of this year, adding that it was expected to reach $40 billion by the end of the year. He said the $100 billion trade target he and Trump had set was realistic and achievable.
Emphasis on political and economic ties
Erdoğan said Türkiye’s political relations with the United States and its economic and trade ties should be considered together. He said close dialogue between the two countries had produced positive results on many issues, from the Middle East to Africa and Asia.
Erdoğan said they had made a strong start to the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations. He said his dialogue with President Trump had advanced ties in various areas, adding that the meeting in Washington and Trump’s visit to Ankara in July had strengthened the alliance.
Erdoğan said Türkiye was located in a strategic region and had maintained its stability despite the crises around it. He said the country had strong ties with many regions, from Syria and Iraq to the Caucasus and North Africa.
Economy and investment
Erdoğan said Türkiye’s national income had risen from $236 billion when they took office to $1.8 trillion. He said per capita income would exceed $20,000 by the end of 2026 and that the amount of foreign direct investment entering Türkiye over the past 24 years had approached $300 billion.
Erdoğan said the rubble from the 2023 earthquakes had been cleared within three years and that more than 455,000 homes had been completed and handed over to earthquake survivors in the affected region. He said these developments demonstrated the resilience of the Turkish economy to shocks.
Erdoğan said the Corporate Income Tax rate for investors had been reduced from 25% to 12.5% under the investment program announced in April. He said earnings from transit trade at the Istanbul Finance Center and designated industrial zones had been exempted from Corporate Income Tax, adding that the practice had also been extended across Türkiye.
Defense exports surpass $10 billion
Erdoğan said Türkiye and the United States were ready to expand cooperation in energy, nuclear energy, LNG, civil aviation and high technology. He described the defense industry as an important area of bilateral relations and the partnership within NATO.
Erdoğan said Türkiye had become a globally sought-after actor in the defense industry. He said defense exports had risen from $248 million 20 years ago to more than $10 billion today. He also said Türkiye’s share of global defense equipment exports had increased by more than 120% compared with five years ago.
Erdoğan said Turkish defense companies had reached a level that enabled them to invest in the United States. He said he believed Türkiye would soon rank among the world’s top 10 countries in defense industry exports. He added that broader cooperation with the United States, including joint production opportunities, would serve the common interests of both countries.
Thanks to the Turkish community in the United States
Erdoğan said he was pleased that Türkiye’s citizens living in the United States were strongly integrated into American society while maintaining their ties with Türkiye. He said they were proud of members of the Turkish-American community who stood out in politics, business, science, culture, the arts and sports.
Erdoğan expressed hope that ties between Türkiye and the United States and the alliance relationship would grow stronger in the second century of diplomatic relations. Erdoğan praised the contributions of the congressional, business, academic, cultural and artistic circles attending the program. At the end of the event, Hamdi Ulukaya, chairman of the U.S.-Türkiye Business Council, presented Erdoğan with a gift.
