Trump expected to support potential sale of F-35 jets to Turkey, sources say

Trump expected to support the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, according to Reuters sources, is likely to be raised during the U.S. president’s visit to Ankara for a NATO summit on Tuesday, July 6. The support would be Trump’s biggest gesture yet toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with both leaders benefiting from warmer ties since Trump returned to office last year. However, legal and congressional barriers remain unresolved, including U.S. sanctions tied to Turkey’s 2019 purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense system. Washington imposed sanctions on a major Turkish defense company in 2020 and removed Turkey from the F-35 program, while Congress prohibited F-35 sales as long as S-400s are retained. One option discussed is relocating the S-400 to a third country, though an agreement has not been sealed. Opposition could come from figures including Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said he opposed any U.S. military sales to Turkey.