“Autocracy and Populism on the Rise: Lessons from Turkey in the Trump Era”

The American immigration ban is seen in Turkey and elsewhere as discrimination against Muslims, complicated by President Trump’s business interests in Istanbul. As one of the United States’ most strategic allies, Turkey is critical in the fight against ISIS, and has NATO’s second largest army. Yet with the recent rise in authoritarianism, relations with the U.S. are deteriorating.

Mahir Zeynalov is the first Turkish journalist to be deported from Turkey, and the first that President Erdogan sought to have imprisoned. He rose to international prominence documenting the recent media crackdown in Turkey. He worked for Turkey’s leading English-language daily until it was shut down by the government in 2016. He started his career at the Los Angeles Times, regularly contributes to the Huffington Post, and is a frequent commentator on CNN, NBC, Al Jazeera, BBC and others.