President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is considering allowing Turkey to buy American F-35 stealth fighter jets, a potential reversal of a ban from his first term. The remarks came during a NATO summit in Ankara.
Trump highlighted improved relations with Turkey during a bilateral meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. "We have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey’s been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal," he said. He added that the F-35 is "currently the best plane by far" and that lifting sanctions on Turkey over its S-400 purchase is under review.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring Russia’s S-400 system. Congressional rules still bar any transfer while Ankara retains the Russian equipment. Six Turkish-owned F-35 aircraft remain stored in the United States.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Trump against the move. "This is not a force for peace and stability," Netanyahu said in a CNN interview Tuesday. No final agreement on the jets or sanctions has been reached.
