Erdoğan’s party transferred $6.2 mln to establish lobbying center in Washington: report
14.08.2026
By Turkish Minute
Source:https://turkishminute.com/2026/08/14/erdogans-
Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), led by President Recep Tayyip
Erdoğan, has transferred $6.2 million to its Washington office since 2024 to purchase
the former French Embassy building and to cover the office’s renovation and operating
costs, according to an analysis published Friday by a Washington-
In April 2024 AKP headquarters sent $4.9 million to its US representative office to purchase a building and cover expenses in the country. The funds transfer was included in a Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) filing submitted to the US Department of Justice.
The AKP’s US representative office purchased the building — situated across from Meridian Hill Park in Washington, D.C., and formerly used as the French Embassy — that same year. Built in 1907, the building is located on 16th Street NW in the nation’s capital.
According to the most recent FARA filing dated July 12, the representative office received $1,299,970 from the AKP’s main office via three installments between December 2025 and May 2026.
The funds were designated for operational costs, with $1,076,912 spent during that timeframe on various items such as construction, architectural work, salaries and utilities.
Documentation reveals that total funds transfers have reached $6,199,970 and that during the last six months the office organized 85 events, including consultations with the US State Department and members of Congress.
According to official records, the AKP’s US branch had separate consultations with Atlantic Council expert Rich Outzen and Washington Institute researcher Anna Borshchevskaya in late January as well as a meeting with Michael Doran of the Hudson Institute in early February. The office also communicated with Democratic aides from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and State Department officials to talk about diplomatic ties between the US and Turkey. The office is managed by President Erdoğan’s cousin, Halil Mutlu, who serves as the party’s registered US agent; the bureau was established in May 2022 and is registered under US statutes as a foreign political party organization.
Under FARA, entities and individuals attempting to sway US policy or public sentiment on behalf of foreign interests are obligated to report their associations, actions and financial dealings.