Mnuchin met with Erdoğan, top Turkish officials amid Halkbank probe

News About Turkey - NAT
2 Min Read
(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 22, 2018 US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, gestures during a press conference in Buenos Aires, at the end of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting. US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin offered assurances on July 29, 2018 over the independence of the Federal Reserve as it heads into a two-day policy meeting that is expected to leave interest rates untouched despite a booming US economy. / AFP PHOTO / EITAN ABRAMOVICH
US Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin. AFP PHOTO / EITAN ABRAMOVICH

US Treasury officials have confirmed that Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin recently attended a White House lunch with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Courthouse News Service reported.

The revelation came a month into US Senator Ron Wyden’s investigation of Halkbank, the Turkish state-run bank accused of the biggest money-laundering scheme ever charged in US history.

The Treasury Department replied to Wyden’s investigation on Nov. 20 with a four-page letter from Deputy Assistant Secretary Frederick Vaughan.

While the letter disclosed that Mnuchin had met with Erdoğan, it largely did not respond to detailed questions about Mnuchin’s discussions with Turkish officials or whether US President Donald Trump had intervened in the Halkbank case.

“The Treasury Department does not deny that President Trump tasked Secretary Mnuchin with intervening in the criminal investigation of Halkbank, and the department’s response to my letter raises more questions than it answers,” Wyden said in an email.

The final page of the letter included an enclosure listing two of Mnuchin’s meetings with Erdoğan this year; three with Turkish finance minister and Erdoğan’s son-in-law Berat Albayrak; and another two with Mehmet Şimşek, a former member of Erdoğan’s cabinet.

“These meetings took place while Treasury was supposed to be playing a key role in investigating Halkbank for massive Iranian sanctions violations,” Wyden said.

Share This Article
Founded by a small group of Turkish/Kurdish scholars who have been subjected to persecution at the hands of the Erdogan dictatorship, News About Turkey (NAT) has emerged as a platform that is both exceptional and invaluable. Our objective is to provide you with a comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of the events and developments in Turkey (Türkiye), a country with profound historical and geopolitical importance, a vibrant culture, and a strategic location. Our founders, who have been purged by the Erdogan regime after the so-called coup attempt, are aware of the significance of journalism that is both free and independent. Because of this understanding, we are committed to providing reporting and analysis that is both objective and comprehensive. To give you the most thorough coverage of Turkey, we go further than just scratching the surface. Keep in touch with us so that you can have a better understanding of Turkey's developing story as well as vital and comprehensive news items. Whether you are a resident of Turkey, a member of the Turkish/Kurdish diaspora, or simply someone who has a strong interest in this vital country, we are the most reliable source for news that not only informs but also inspires and engages you.
Leave a comment