NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday praised Turkey s President Tayyip Erdogan as a friend despite tensions between the two countries over Turkish security officials involved in street fighting with protesters during a visit to Washington in May. Meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Trump hailed Erdogan s leadership in Turkey and said Erdogan  has become a friend of mine.   I think now we re as close as we ve ever been,  he said. Eleven people were hurt in what Washington s police chief described as a brutal attack on peaceful demonstrators outside the Turkish ambassador s residence. Ankara blamed the violence on groups linked to Kurdish militants fighting an armed campaign in southeastern Turkey. 
Trump praises Turkey's Erdogan as a friend