For years, a sizable group of social media trolls, columnists and television show hosts have been openly rooting for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. These men and women serve not only as the administration’s defenders, but also frequently act as its advocates and even unofficial spokespersons. Over time, Erdogan, his bureaucrats and senior members of his party have stopped talking to the press except for a handpicked few — some of them rumored to have direct access to Erdogan.

Some of these people can be rather aggressive, and their statements are not just empty threats. For example, Turkiye columnist Cem Kucuk has become known for his predictions of those who will be fired from their jobs or prosecuted.

In Ankara, these aggressive advocates are often referred as "Erdogan’s men." However, on Aug. 20, Erdogan surprised even them when he told his own party’s members in Istanbul that he was upset about their internal quarrels appearing in columns. Using a phrase associated with street thugs and the mafia, Erdogan said, “I see there are some who brag and claim to boss others on my behalf. I do not need anyone’s showing off. I can do that myself.”

Erdogan’s choice of words against his own political corps generated a rather heated debate in the Turkish media. Questions arose, such as: Whom was Erdogan aiming at? Was it so and so? Will they tone down their aggressive rhetoric now? What will happen?