US pledges to send $100 million in aid to Turkey after earthquakes

KARAH RUCKER: SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN IS MEETING WITH TURKEY’S PRESIDENT TODAY AFTER TOURING AREAS UNRECOGNIZABLE IN THE AFTERMATH OF 7.5 AND 7.8 EARTHQUAKES.

U.S. SENDS $100 MILLION IN AID TO TURKEY

BLINKEN SAYS THE US IS SENDING AN ADDITIONAL 100-MILLION-DOLLARS IN DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO ITS NATO ALLY.

BLINKEN SURVEYED TURKEY BY HELICOPTER — A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF COLLAPSED BUILDINGS AND AND COMMUNITIES.

THE DEATH TOLL IS NOW MORE THAN 46 THOUSAND TWO WEEKS SINCE THE EARTHQUAKES STRUCK.

WHILE THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S VISIT IS LARGELY FOCUSED ON RECOVERY EFFORTS – THE TRIP WAS PLANNED **BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE EVEN STRUCK.

U.S., TURKEY AT ODDS OVER NATO ADMITTANCE

THE US AND TURKEY HAVE BEEN AT ODDS OVER ALLOWING SWEDEN AND FINLAND TO JOIN NATO.

THE US WANTS TO APPROVE THEIR APPLICATIONS — BUT TURKEY HAS ITS DIFFERENCES WITH THE TWO NATIONS OVER THEIR ALLEGED SUPPORT FOR KURDISH GROUPS TURKEY CONSIDERS TERRORISTS.

RECOVERY EFFORTS REMAIN PRIORITY

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE US AND TURKEY — SET ASIDE TODAY IN A SHOWING OF SOLIDARITY AS TURKEY RECOUPS FROM IT’S MOST SIGNIFICANT DISASTER IN A CENTURY.

Antony Blinken | US Secretary of State: “In the immediate moment of course we’re both very much focused on humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria who like the people of Turkiye suffered terribly from the earthquake and we’re working together to maximize the support that can get to them.”