Trump Greeted with Blue Carpet in Turkey, Sparking Online Debate

US President Donald Trump was greeted with a blue carpet during his visit to Ankara, Turkey, for a NATO summit on Tuesday, sparking a heated online debate over the break from the traditional red carpet protocol. The unusual choice of a turquoise or blue carpet for the official welcoming ceremony at the Turkish presidential complex quickly became a talking point on social media, with users questioning whether it was a deliberate diplomatic message or a special gesture for Trump.

"President Trump, upon arriving in Ankara, Turkey, was greeted with a turquoise carpet. I am pretty sure other heads of state are not greeted like this. If you haven’t realised it yet, Trump is not just an ordinary world leader," commented one user on X, @PaulGoldEagle. Another user, @MagaMan000, suggested a more pointed interpretation, writing, "He didn’t roll out the red carpet. The blue carpet is a clear sign of dominance over Trump."

However, other commentators offered a less charged explanation, linking the carpet’s colour to the visual identity of the NATO summit. "The blue carpet is widely explained as being related to the blue visual identity of NATO and the Ankara summit, not as a form of insult or a special trap aimed at Trump, although commentators are interpreting it symbolically," noted X user @nee53074808. Turkish authorities did not provide an official explanation, but analysts widely viewed the choice as reflecting NATO’s signature blue for the summit rather than a specific protocol for Trump.

The visit also produced another viral moment when Trump appeared to momentarily lose his bearings while walking on the blue carpet. In footage of the event, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was seen gently taking Trump’s arm and guiding him to the correct position during the ceremony, a brief interaction that quickly became a focal point in discussions about the US president’s public image.