Trump says he will lift Turkey sanctions and weigh F-35 sales
Meeting on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump said he would lift sanctions on Turkey and “consider” resuming F-35 fighter jet sales , calling the aircraft “the best plane by far” and signaling a decision would come soon.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 program and hit with sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act after it acquired Russian S-400 air defense systems in 2019. A 2020 US law bars Turkey from rejoining the program until it is determined to no longer possess the Russian systems — a legal hurdle Trump’s statement does not resolve.
Two constraints stand out. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has publicly opposed the sale, warning it would upset the regional balance, and Congress retains leverage over major arms transfers, though Senator Lindsey Graham signaled openness to “a solution.” President Erdogan said Turkey was previously promised five jets. The move fits Trump’s broader summit push to keep Ankara — a pivotal NATO member bridging Europe and the Middle East — inside the alliance’s orbit while extracting concessions elsewhere.