Join Mr. Bilal Bilici, a member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, and Hoover Senior Fellow H.R. McMaster as they discuss Türkiye's evolving role on the global stage, its central role in the volatile Black Sea and Middle East regions, and its future in NATO. In light of the recent arrest of Istanbul mayor and presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu in March 2025, Mr. Bilici reflects on the state of Turkish politics today, the country's prospects for democracy, US-Türkiye relations and the most pressing issues both countries should align on, his take on Syria following the collapse of Assad, and the future of the tumultuous Turkish-Israeli relationship.
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Bilal Bilici is a member of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye representing the province of Adana and a former member of the Foreign Policy Committee. Mr. Bilici began his political career in the Good Party, serving as an advisor to the Party Chair. He was the Good Party’s representative to the United States before transitioning to the main opposition, the Republican People's Party (CHP), in 2024. In addition to his political career, Bilici has been influential in Turkish business. He has held leadership roles in the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye, including as Vice President of the Türkiye-Central American and Caribbean Business Council, and has served as Honorary Consul of Guatemala in Istanbul. Mr. Bilici earned an undergraduate degree in economics from Boston University and a master’s degree in global affairs from Bahçeşehir University.
H.R. McMaster is the Fouad and Michelle Ajami Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University. He is also the Bernard and Susan Liautaud Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute and lecturer at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. He was the 25th assistant to the president for National Security Affairs. Upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1984, McMaster served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army for thirty-four years before retiring as a Lieutenant General in June 2018.
