Donald Trump hosted Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his second visit to the White House, weeks after he faced a strong backlash for pulling US troops out of the way of a Turkish incursion into northern Syria.

Mr Trump, who faced bipartisan criticism for giving a free pass to the Turkish president, seemed to try to bridge part of the gap with key members of his own party. In an unusual but conciliatory move, he invited a few Republican senators to the Oval Office to speak directly to Mr Erdogan. Among the handful of senators were Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, who have been vocal critics of the US President’s recent pull-out from northern Syria.

A joint press conference by the two presidents portrayed main points of tension but also validated the personal relationship that both have been trying to cultivate and maintain in the past three years, with Mr Trump insisting they were "very good friends".

The situation in Syria is one of the key areas of difference between the two governments. Turkey is not happy with the deployment of US troops to the oil fields in Syria, but Mr Trump has stood by that decision.

And the US opposes Turkey’s acquisition of S-400s, but Mr Erdogan does not seem to be giving up on the Russian missile system. The Turkish president did however mention that he is open to buying US Patriot missiles in the future but it is not clear how much leverage the US president has in making that happen.

Turkey launches offensive into Syria Show all 25 1 /25 Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish soldiers with armored vehicles EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman flees with her children during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows following Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched an assault on Kurdish forces in northern Syria with air strikes and explosions reported along the border. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the attack on Twitter, labelling it "Operation Peace Spring". (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria The first group of Turkish infantry prepare to enter Syria on the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke billows from targets inside Syria AP Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish armoured vehicles enter Syria in Akcakale Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians leave as smoke rises from Ras al-Ain AFP Turkey launches offensive into Syria A multi-rocket launcher fires in an unknown location Turkish Defence Ministry via Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Girls stand together in Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A woman walks as smoke billows following Turkish bombardment in Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck towards the border with Syria AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish jet taxis on tarmac after returning to a military base in southeast Diyarbakir Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria A Turkish armored vehicle drives down a road during a military operation in Kurdish areas of northern Syria EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria People sit on belongings at a back of a truck as they flee Ras al Ain town Reuters Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters enter Tel Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria People flee Tal Abyad North Press Agency/Reuters TV Turkey launches offensive into Syria People wave as Turkish soldiers prepare to cross the border into Syria Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee with their belongings AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Civilians flee during Turkish bombardment on Syria's northeastern town of Ras al-Ain in the Hasakeh province along the Turkish border on October 9, 2019. - Turkey launched a broad assault on Kurdish-controlled areas in northeastern Syria today, with intensive bombardment paving the way for an invasion made possible by the withdrawal of US troops. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) (Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images) DELIL SOULEIMAN AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, speaks with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, left, as they watch the operation by Turkish forces in Kurdish areas EPA Turkey launches offensive into Syria Smoke rises from the Syrian town of Tal Abyad AFP/Getty Turkey launches offensive into Syria Turkey-backed members of Syrian National Army prepare for moving to Turkey with heavy armed vehicles EPA

“Both sides knew that they couldn’t shake hands on all issues, but could use this opportunity to relieve tensions,” said Erdem Aydin, director of RDM Advisory, a London-based political risk consultancy. “There are no tangible results after this meeting. This is not like the Mike Pence trip to Turkey,” he told The Independent. But Mr Aydin believed that the two leaders will continue dialogue and there will be more room for progress in bilateral relations.

One of Mr Erdogan’s long time demands from the American president is to extradite the dissident Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulan from the US. Although Mr Trump and some in his close circle have enquired about extradition, it is not something they have been able to deliver as it has to go through legal channels at the Justice Department.

The Turkish president also mentioned the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, General Mazloum Abdi, calling him a terrorist. But Mr Trump later told a Turkish journalist that he will continue to have a good relationship with the Kurdish general. That is one key area of disagreement that will continue to be unresolved between the two governments.

“We had a strategy in Syria that was working,” said Henri Barkey, a professor of international relations at Lehigh University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. “We had the Syrians and Russians on defensive. We were allies with the Kurds, who are good fighters and can hold territory and fight Isis,” Mr Barkey told The Independent, adding “I don’t know what can be better.”

But the big picture looks to be in favour of Mr Erdogan. There are very few world leaders who have visited the White House twice under Trump. It is especially unusual for a Turkish leader to get such frequent access to the US president.

Mr Trump is known to appreciate tough, authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Erdogan. “Trump has been protecting Erdogan all along,” Mr Barkey said. “Trump has no strategy in Syria. He says he wants to pull the troops out, then deploys them back to the oil fields.”

And Mr Trump’s supporters don’t seem to care about the details. The American public is genuinely fed up by US troops getting killed abroad and their tax dollars being wasted on wars.

Mr Barkey argues that President Trump has a very personal approach on things and is using the American government as his personal company. “Whatever is good for Trump is good for the US,” he said, adding that Mr Trump’s only grand strategy is to get himself re-elected.

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