You cannot buy our will with dollars, Erdoğan tells Trump ahead of UN vote on Jerusalem

ANKARA

The United States cannot buy the people’s will with dollars, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Dec. 21, in reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to cut funding to countries that would vote against Washington on a motion at the U.N. condemning the U.S.’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“They call the U.S. the cradle of democracy. The cradle of democracy is seeking to buy a nation’s will with dollars,” Erdoğan said.

“Mr. Trump, you cannot buy our will. I am calling on the whole world: Do not sell your struggle for democracy for a few dollars. Your stance is important,” he said.

“I hope that the U.S. will not get the result it expects today and the world will give the U.S. a very good lesson,” he said, referring to the U.N. meeting set to be held on Dec. 21.