Amid Turkey’s pending Russia defense system purchase, some question Trump’s ability to push back

Source:Yahoo News Date:09Apr2019

As Turkey moves forward with the controversial purchase of Russia’s most sophisticated and advanced air defense systems, some State Department and Department of Defense officials are privately blaming President Donald Trump for failing to issue a tough ultimatum over the proposed sale, sources with knowledge of the matter tell ABC News.

But during a Feb. 22 call between the two leaders, Erdogan pushed back against Trump’s threat of sanctions, suggesting Congress was infringing on the president’s executive power by issuing sanctions against Turkey over the deal, according to three U.S. officials briefed on the conversation.

Erdogan allegedly told Trump that the possibility of sanctions from Congress under Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA, is “unconstitutional” because “it takes away your executive power,” according to two officials briefed on the call.