Behind Trump-Erdogan ‘bromance,’ a White House meeting to repair US-Turkey ties

At the 2012 opening of Trump Towers in Istanbul, real estate mogul Donald Trump sang the praises of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, telling a mostly Turkish audience that their leader, prime minister at the time, was "highly respected" around the world.
"He's a good man. He's just representing you very well," Trump said at the ceremony.
Since becoming the US president, Trump has openly complimented Erdogan and his combative ruling style, calling him "a friend" and "hell of a leader."
Such fondness from Trump for the Turkish president, who is due to meet with him at the White House on Wednesday, is seen by many as the only reason why relations between Turkey and the United States have not completely collapsed, having soured severely over their disagreements on a host of issues.
"The two leaders have an affinity for each other as strongman presidents," said Soner Cagaptay,...