President Trump called President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey on Monday to congratulate him on the results of Sunday's referendum that will see him gain sweeping new powers, CNN Turk and Reuters reported on Monday.
The backdrop: The opposition is demanding a recount after reports of irregularities and international monitors have said the vote was not "genuinely democratic," while allies like the U.K. have expressed concerns. Sean Spicer said the White House would wait for a full report before drawing conclusions.
Why it matters: As we saw with the Taiwan/China controversy, it sends a message when the US president calls a foreign leader. If Trump did offer Erdogan congratulations when many in the West are eyeing him with suspicion he may strengthen the US/Turkey alliance, but send a message that democratic principles are not his top consideration.
