{"id":24863,"date":"2026-11-03T01:12:52","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T01:12:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/03\/us-candidate-proposes-trade-ban-on-turkey-over-hagia-sophia-greek-city-times\/"},"modified":"2026-11-03T01:12:52","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T01:12:52","slug":"us-candidate-proposes-trade-ban-on-turkey-over-hagia-sophia-greek-city-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/in-greece.com\/index.php\/2026\/11\/03\/us-candidate-proposes-trade-ban-on-turkey-over-hagia-sophia-greek-city-times\/","title":{"rendered":"US Candidate Proposes Trade Ban on Turkey Over Hagia Sophia \u2013 Greek City Times"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A proposal to ban all Turkish imports into the United States until Hagia Sophia is returned to the Greek Orthodox Church has reignited debate over the historic monument, with a former South Carolina Senate candidate calling for sweeping economic pressure on Ankara.<\/h3>\n

Republican candidate Mark Lynch<\/a> announced the proposal on April 26, 2026, saying he would introduce federal legislation titled the \u201cReturn the Hagia Sophia to the Church Act\u201d if elected to the US Senate.<\/p>\n

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The proposed legislation would prohibit all imports from Turkey until ownership of Hagia Sophia is transferred to the Greek Orthodox Church.<\/p>\n

Lynch cited approximately US$17.52 billion in American imports from Turkey during 2025 and argued that Washington should use its economic influence to secure the monument\u2019s return to Christian ownership. TA NEA+1<\/p>\n

Read more: Feast Day of the Protection of the Theotokos, Agia Skepi<\/p>\n

Lynch calls 2020 conversion an injustice<\/h2>\n

In his announcement, Lynch described Turkey\u2019s 2020 decision to convert Hagia Sophia from a museum back into a functioning mosque as \u201cone of the greatest injustices in Christian history\u201d.<\/p>\n

He also called the decision an act of cultural theft and criticised the response of American political leaders at the time.<\/p>\n

Lynch said he intended to invite Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant clergy to the US Capitol when introducing the proposed legislation, seeking support from Christian communities across the country. GreekReporter.com+1<\/p>\n

However, the proposal remains a campaign pledge. Lynch lost the Republican primary in South Carolina on August 11, 2026, and was not nominated as the party\u2019s candidate in the November 3 Senate election. There is no indication that the proposed legislation has been introduced in Congress. Ballotpedia+1<\/p>\n

Hagia Sophia\u2019s significance to the Greek Orthodox world<\/h2>\n

Completed in 537 AD under Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, Hagia Sophia served as the Great Church of Constantinople and one of the most important centres of Orthodox Christianity for nearly a millennium.<\/p>\n

Following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the building was converted into a mosque.<\/p>\n

It became a museum in 1935 under Mustafa Kemal Atat\u00fcrk before Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo\u011fan\u2019s government restored its status as a mosque in July 2020.<\/p>\n

The decision prompted international criticism, including UNESCO\u2019s expression of deep regret over the change. newgreektv.com+1<\/p>\n

For Greeks and Orthodox Christians worldwide, Hagia Sophia remains one of the most powerful symbols of Byzantine history, Orthodox faith and the Greek heritage of Constantinople.<\/p>\n

Would Greek Americans support a trade embargo?<\/h2>\n

Lynch\u2019s proposal raises a significant question for the Greek-American community and Orthodox Christians across the United States.<\/p>\n

A complete ban on Turkish imports would represent a major escalation in US economic policy towards a NATO ally, potentially affecting businesses, consumers and wider diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n

Supporters of the proposal may see economic pressure as a way to defend Christian heritage and demand accountability over the treatment of historic religious monuments.<\/p>\n

Others may question whether a blanket trade embargo is a practical way to achieve the return of Hagia Sophia, particularly given the wider strategic relationship between Washington and Ankara.<\/p>\n

For the global Greek Orthodox community, however, the underlying issue remains deeply significant: the future of one of Christianity\u2019s most important historic churches.<\/p>\n

Would the Greek Orthodox community welcome a US trade embargo on Turkey if it were tied to the return of Hagia Sophia to the Church?<\/p>\n

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