‘Kurds Take, Take, Take’: Trump’s Remarks Trigger Fury From Kurdish Congress

Last Updated:May 13, 2026, 09:27 IST

The Kurdish National Congress pushed back against Trump’s claims that Kurdish groups withheld US-supplied weapons allegedly meant for anti-Iran forces during the recent conflict.

The Executive Council of the Kurdistan National Congress (KNK) has strongly rejected recent remarks by US President Donald Trump alleging that Kurdish groups failed to hand over weapons allegedly supplied by the United States to opponents of the Iranian regime during the recent US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

In a sharply worded statement, the KNK said Trump’s repeated comments risk placing the entire Kurdish population under suspicion and could damage long-standing Kurdish-American relations.

“Broad and generalized accusations of this nature place all Kurds under suspicion and risk undermining Kurdish-American relations," the KNK said, calling the allegations “serious and potentially harmful."

The Kurdish body further asserted that parties and organisations affiliated with the KNK had not engaged in any such activities and said they had no information regarding the alleged transfer or withholding of weapons.

The controversy erupted after Trump, speaking at the White House on Monday, expressed disappointment with Kurdish groups over what he described as a failure to support the Iranian opposition militarily.

“The Kurds take, take, take. They have a great reputation in Congress," Trump said. “Congress says they fight hard. They fight hard when they get paid."

The remarks appeared linked to earlier claims made by Trump during the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began in late February. At the time, Trump had reportedly indicated support for Kurdish forces launching operations against Iran, amid reports that the CIA was arming Kurdish groups.

However, Trump later appeared to reverse his position, telling reporters: “They’re willing to go in, but I’ve told them I don’t want them to go in."

Iranian Kurdish leaders have since denied receiving weapons from the US to support anti-regime forces inside Iran.

Responding directly to Trump’s statements, the KNK urged the US President to “refrain from making generalized accusations against the Kurdish people" and instead identify the specific group or entity he was referring to.

The organisation also called on any Kurdish groups that may have been implicated to address the allegations “openly and transparently before the public."

Reaffirming the Kurdish political movement’s stance, the KNK said the Kurdish people were engaged in a “legitimate struggle for freedom" and maintained diplomatic relations with international powers while preserving their “independent will."

“We are not soldiers or instruments of any external power," the statement said, adding that Kurdish groups remain committed to “human values" and their political principles without compromise.

Trump’s comments come at a sensitive time in West Asia, with tensions involving Iran, Israel and US regional involvement continuing to reshape geopolitical alignments across the region.

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