Abdullah Bozkurt/Stockholm
A newly introduced bill in the US House of Representatives seeks to reassign Turkey from the European Desk to the Near East Desk within the State Department — a symbolic yet telling move that reflects growing unease in Washington over Ankara’s shifting geopolitical orientation, as well as increasing frustration among US policymakers regarding Turkey’s actions both regionally and domestically.
In a letter to the Turkish Parliament obtained by Nordic Monitor, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan vowed to defeat the bill through lobbying efforts targeting the US government and Congress while downplaying the legislation’s significance.
The bill, titled the “Turkey Diplomatic Realignment Act” (H.R. 1890), was introduced on March 5 by Representative Brad Schneider (D-Illinois), a member of the Congressional Hellenic-Israel Alliance Caucus. It proposes that the State Department administratively reassign Turkey from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs to the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs.
Several lawmakers co-sponsored the bill, including Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida), Dina Titus (D-Nevada), Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York), Chris Pappas (D-New Hampshire) and Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey). Many of these co-sponsors are known for their critical stances toward the Turkish government.
If enacted, the bill would not alter the formal diplomatic relationship between the US and Turkey but would redefine how the US categorizes and approaches Ankara at an institutional level. This reassignment would effectively remove Turkey from the diplomatic framework of Europe and NATO and place it among Middle Eastern countries — a symbolic repositioning that critics argue amounts to a diplomatic downgrade.
The US bill introduced in the House of Representatives proposes that the State Department reclassify Turkey from the European Desk to the Near East Desk:
Proponents contend that Turkey’s growing alignment with Middle Eastern actors, its distancing from European democratic norms and strained ties with NATO and the EU justify a realignment of US policy and diplomatic oversight.
The bill outlines multiple justifications, including Turkey’s expanding ties with Russia and China, its interest in joining BRICS, support for Hamas, involvement in regional conflicts and a deteriorating human rights record. Sponsors argue that Turkey no longer fits within the traditional European diplomatic framework and that this reassignment better reflects new regional realities.
Although it is unclear whether the bill will be advanced in the House, its symbolic significance is considerable. Reassigning Turkey from the European to the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau within the State Department could reshape US foreign policy formulation toward Ankara. Such a shift may affect internal resource allocation, the deployment of diplomatic personnel and coordination among military and intelligence units across regional desks. More broadly, it could signal a fundamental change in how the US perceives and engages with Turkey — moving it away from a European-oriented ally toward a nation grouped with the volatile dynamics of the Middle East, potentially altering the tone and trajectory of bilateral relations.
In his formal letter to the Turkish Parliament, Foreign Minister Fidan acknowledged the bill but downplayed its significance and viability within the US legislative process. He said Turkey has been raising concerns about the proposal both with the Trump administration and members of Congress to prevent it from becoming law.
Fidan characterized the bill’s co-sponsors as lawmakers known for their anti-Turkey initiatives, suggesting that the proposal is part of a broader pattern of politically motivated hostility. He further claimed that the bill lacks broad support even in the House and noted that it has no counterpart in the Senate, which, in his opinion, makes its passage in the near future unlikely.
Under the US legislative process, a separate bill does not need to be introduced in the Senate for a House bill to advance, although approval by both chambers in identical form is required for it to become law.
Reaffirming Turkey’s European identity, Fidan stressed that it is not for third parties to redefine Turkey’s geopolitical belonging.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s letter regarding the US bill to reclassify Turkey at the State Department downplayed its significance while vowing to prevent it from becoming law in the US Congress:
Turkey’s influence in Washington has considerably diminished, and its lobbying efforts have weakened under both the Biden administration and Trump’s two terms, due to growing policy divergences between Washington and Ankara. Anti-Turkey sentiment in the US Congress has increased significantly, with bipartisan support for bills targeting the Erdogan government on a range of issues.
Under the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, anti-American sentiment has peaked, often fueled by Erdogan’s repeated public criticism of the US and his administration’s deliberate campaign against Washington and its allies, particularly Israel.
Turkey has aligned itself with countries like Russia, Venezuela and Iran in opposing US and Western sanctions, condemned Washington’s policies toward these nations, supported Hamas — designated as a terrorist organization by the US — cracked down on pro-Western groups domestically and even detained US citizens as leverage in what critics call hostage diplomacy.
The US responded by removing Ankara from the F-35 joint strike fighter program, imposing sanctions on key Turkish government officials, placing restrictions on the sale of defense products and excluding Ankara from critical meetings that directly impact Turkey’s posture in the Middle East.
