Engel: ‘I’m disgusted’ US president would be comfortable with Erdogan

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said on Sunday that he is “disgusted” that a U.S. president would “feel comfortable” with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Erdogan’s a bad guy, and I’m disgusted that the American president would feel comfortable with a guy like Erdogan,” Engel told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Engel also said that NATO should consider removing Turkey as a member because it’s acting like a “Russian ally.”

President Trump has defended his decision to remove troops from northern Syria ahead of a Turkish military operation there, saying the U.S. cannot be involved in endless wars overseas. Trump has also threatened Turkey with sanctions if it acts inhumanely against the Syrian Kurds, who partnered with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS. 

The leader of the Foreign Affairs Committee said two bipartisan bills will be presented this week that will denounce Trump’s policy involving the Kurds and establishes sanctions on Turkey for its attacks against the Kurds.

Engel added that the president’s policy will deter future allies from cooperating with the U.S.

“This is going to make people flee from us,” he added. “And it’s just absolutely disgraceful that the president of the United States is facilitating all of this.” 

WATCH: Eliot Engel, Chair of House Foreign Affairs Committee says the situation in Turkey will make “people flee from us.” #MTP@RepEliotEngel: “After this who again will trust the United States to be an ally of them …. it is just absolutely disgraceful.” pic.twitter.com/2z8ohBwg4j

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) October 13, 2019

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have condemned the president for deciding to remove U.S. troops from Syria, worrying that the Kurdish forces will view the action as a betrayal.