Turkey Orders Talks to Reopen Orthodox Seminary Ahead of Trump Visit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan directed government officials on June 21, 2026, to begin formal talks on reopening the Halki Orthodox Christian seminary near Istanbul. The move came days before a scheduled visit by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The seminary, located on Heybeliada island, trained Orthodox Christian clergy for centuries before Turkish authorities shut it down in 1971 under a law that nationalized private universities. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, based in Istanbul, has pushed for its reopening for decades.

Christian advocacy groups welcomed the announcement. The seminary's closure has been a persistent point of tension between Turkey and the United States, with successive administrations pressing Ankara to restore access to the institution.

Erdogan's order does not guarantee a reopening. Talks must still clear legal and political hurdles. But the timing, just before Trump's arrival, signals that Turkey sees the issue as a diplomatic card worth playing.

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who leads the global Orthodox Christian community from Istanbul, has repeatedly called the closure a violation of religious freedom. His office did not immediately comment on Erdogan's directive.

Turkey's government has floated the idea of reopening Halki before, most recently in 2010, but those discussions stalled. Observers say the current political climate, with Trump pressing allies on religious liberty issues, may give the talks more momentum this time.