According to a Foreign Agents Registration Act filing from July 12, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has funneled an additional 1,3 милиона долара into a Beaux-Arts mansion on 16th Street in Washington, D.C., overlooking Meridian Hill Park. The property, purchased for approximately 4,9 милиона долара in 2024, now serves as a permanent base for the party’s expanding political influence operations in the United States, managed by Halil Mutlu, a cousin of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Lobbying and High-Level Washington Meetings
The filing details 85 political activities conducted over a six-month period from December to May, featuring meetings with State Department officials, congressional staffers, and prominent Washington think-tank experts specializing in Turkey and Syria, as outlined by Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs master's candidate Hekmat Matthew AbuKhater in Responsible Statecraft. Mutlu’s engagement calendar highlights targeted outreach to key foreign policy figures.
Geopolitical Rivalry Over Syria
Strategic competition between Ankara and Tel Aviv has intensified significantly since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, with Syria emerging as a primary flashpoint. During a March discussion at the Brookings Institution cited in the reporting, former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John Bass highlighted Israeli political rhetoric describing Turkey as a “future Iran,” while Brookings researcher Aslı Aydıntaşbaş noted that this comparison has shifted from the fringes of Israeli security circles into mainstream political debate. Analysts offer diverging views on Ankara’s regional role. Outzen projects improving U.S.-Turkey ties due to converging interests, Doran characterizes Turkey as a vital partner for stabilizing Syria and balancing Israeli security concerns, and Borshchevskaya advocates for deeper U.S. engagement in Syria to counter Russian influence by leveraging Turkish capabilities, according to congressional testimony and public commentary.
Did you know?
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in March, 60% of Americans held an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 42% in 2022, opening potential political space for other regional actors like Turkey to present their arguments in Washington.
F-35 Programs and Oval Office Diplomacy
This regional friction directly impacts defense sales and diplomatic posture. In June, Erdoğan asserted that Israeli military strikes in Syria and Lebanon threatened Turkey directly, while Israeli officials warned that readmitting Turkey to the F-35 fighter jet program would compromise Israel’s qualitative military edge. The dispute reached the Oval Office on July 28 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented President Donald Trump with a map alleging that Turkey effectively controls 5% of Syrian territory compared to Israel’s controlled territory. Despite Israeli objections, Trump announced at the NATO summit in Ankara in early July that he would lift CAATSA sanctions imposed over Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system and signaled openness to selling F-35 jets to Ankara.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who manages the AKP’s Washington influence operation?
The operation is led by Halil Mutlu, a cousin of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and a registered representative of the AKP in the United States.
How much did the AKP pay for its new Washington headquarters?
The party purchased the former French embassy mansion on 16th Street for approximately 4,9 милиона долара in 2024, followed by 1,3 милиона долара in additional funds directed largely toward property renovations.
What recent defense pact did Turkey sign?
On Friday in Mecca, Erdoğan signed a mutual defense agreement with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, establishing that an attack on one nation will be treated as an attack on all three.
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