Rick Scott: “If Erdogan Doesn’t Act Like an Ally, He Shouldn’t Enjoy NATO Benefits”
U.S. Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida is calling out Turkish President Erdogan by name, demanding that America stand firmly behind Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Scott said America must stand with "trusted allies" while calling out leaders like Erdogan who "constantly undermine our interests and prop up evil regimes and terrorists." He made clear that Turkey's NATO membership should not be a free pass, stating that if Erdogan doesn't act like an ally, he shouldn't enjoy the benefits of NATO.
Scott specifically targeted the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, which Greece rejects as a direct violation of the sovereign rights of its islands, including Crete. He has also voiced strong support for Cyprus's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and criticized Erdogan's ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when a Turkish military intervention followed a coup, and the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus remains recognized only by Ankara.
"If Erdogan doesn't act like an ally, he shouldn't enjoy the benefits of NATO." — Rick Scott
Scott's comments come as Greece, Cyprus, and Israel have deepened their trilateral cooperation, including work on the proposed Great Sea Interconnector undersea electricity cable linking the three countries to Europe. The senator's willingness to name Erdogan directly and tie NATO membership to actual allied behavior marks a harder line than much of Washington has publicly taken. It puts pressure on the broader NATO alliance to address Turkey's conduct rather than absorb it indefinitely.
