Trump declines to visit Ataturk’s mausoleum in Ankara

Donald Trump, President of the United States, declined to visit and lay a wreath at the mausoleum of Ataturk, founder of the Republic of Turkey. Such a visit is considered a mandatory part of ceremonial protocol.

The US president’s decision sparked a negative reaction in Turkey. Opposition figures in the country condemned the authorities’ tolerant response to this fact. Ozgur Ozel, one of the leaders of Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party, pointed out that Trump has become the first US president to decline to visit Ataturk’s mausoleum.

Trump arrived in Ankara to take part in the NATO summit. He was greeted at the airport by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President of Turkey.