President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of Turkey rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program, indicating a potential thaw in U.S.-Turkey defense cooperation that had been stalled following Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system.
According to reports from Reuters and other outlets, Trump made the comments during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on July 7 in Ankara, coinciding with a NATO summit.
When asked by reporters about the sale of F-35s, Trump stated, "We will make a decision soon," adding, "The F-35 is by far the best fighter jet in existence."
He also mentioned the possibility of lifting sanctions, saying, "We will lift the sanctions. I don’t want to impose sanctions on friends." This suggests that the U.S. could remove sanctions imposed on Turkey following its acquisition of the S-400 system.
Turkey purchased the S-400 in 2019 despite U.S. opposition. The U.S. subsequently excluded Turkey from the F-35 program, citing concerns that the Russian system could compromise the stealth capabilities and operational data of the F-35. Following this, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on Turkey's defense sector under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
However, it remains unclear whether the delivery of F-35s will resume immediately. The U.S. Congress has restricted the transfer of F-35s as long as Turkey possesses the S-400. Some lawmakers in the U.S. continue to oppose the resumption of sales until the S-400 issue is resolved.
President Erdoğan remarked, "The F-35 issue is not new. We were promised five fighter jets." Turkey has paid for the F-35s but has yet to receive any aircraft.
Trump praised Turkey for not militarily intervening on behalf of Israel during the Iran conflict and for cooperating in the peace process and improving U.S.-Syria relations. In contrast, he criticized European allies for not sufficiently supporting the U.S. during the Iran conflict, expressing disappointment with NATO.
If the sale of F-35s materializes, it would mark a significant shift in U.S. defense policy toward Turkey since 2019. However, the unresolved S-400 issue, congressional approval, and security concerns from Israel leave uncertainty about whether Trump's public comments will lead to actual deliveries.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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