A few weeks ago, 15 Turkish security officials were indicted in the bloody violence that erupted outside the ambassador’s residence in Sheridan Circle in the spring. Somehow, it was President Donald Trump who wound up apologizing for the incident, or so President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview with PBS on Tuesday.

“I’m very sorry about that. Actually President Trump called me about a week ago about this issue,” Erdogan told NewsHour’s Judy Woodruff. “He said that he was sorry and he told me he was going to follow up about this issue when we come to the United States within the framework of an official visit.”

The Trump administration denies that the president issued such an apology. “The comments were not true and the President did not apologize,” the White House said in a statement to Axios.

As has been consistent with the Turkish government’s stance, Erdogan blamed the group of pro-Kurdish protesters and local law enforcement officers.

“The protesters were insulting us, and they were screaming and shouting. The police failed to intervene properly,” says Erdogan, who personally witnessed the violence.

He was in town for a visit with Trump, and a group protested in Lafayette Park outside the White House. The two dozen or so people moved to Sheridan Circle, near the Turkish ambassador’s residence, upon word that Erdogan would be visiting.

Verbal confrontations between the the protesters and a group of men in suits later identified as Erdogan’s security detail turned to violent skirmishes. Video footage showed armed men kicking and punching protesters.

The Turkish president defended his bodyguard’s behavior on NewsHour. “These police officers were officers of the state, not the federal government. But they are in charge of maintaining safety around me and security,” Erdogan said. “They failed to do that and, of course, that would be the moment when my personal security would come to my aid and make sure that everything was safe and secure around me.”

D.C. officials, meanwhile, have called it an egregious attack and a blatant violation of the first amendment.

“Rarely in my 28 years of policing have I seen what happened in Sheridan Circle,” Police Chief Peter Newsham said when announcing the charges. “You had peaceful demonstrators that were physically assaulted in the District of Columbia.”

Fifteen Turkish security officials and another four men have all been indicted on a charge of conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, a felony that carries up to 15 years in prison. The addition of a hate crime enhancement that could multiply a sentence by 1.5 times. Some are also facing assault charges, as well.

The Trump administration has stayed largely quiet about the incident, beyond a brief statement from a State Department spokesperson saying “we are communicating our concern to the Turkish government in the strongest possible terms.”

According to Erdogan, he will continue discussing the incident with Trump on Thursday.

Previously:
15 Turkish Security Officials Indicted In Attack On D.C. Protesters
D.C. Police Issue Warrants For 12 Turkish Security Officials In Embassy Attack
Two Men Arrested Over Violence Involving Turkish Security Forces
House Of Representatives Unanimously Votes To Condemn Turkish Security Attack On D.C. Protesters
Video: Footage Shows Erdogan Witnessed Guards Beating Protesters
D.C. Police Will Pursue Additional Arrests In Violent Clash Between Turkish Guards, Protesters
Video: Nine Injured In Violence Outside Turkish Ambassador’s Residence