President Trump signaled openness to reversing a five-year ban and allowing Turkey back into the F-35 fighter jet program during his meeting with Turkish President Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday. The shift marks a potential realignment of U.S. weapons policy in the Middle East and sets up a collision between Trump's dealmaking instincts and regional security concerns.
"Many people, including the people who are sitting here, think 'why wouldn't we do that'," Trump said when asked directly about selling the jets to Turkey. He characterized Turkey as a loyal ally that resisted pressure to side with Iran during recent regional tensions, despite Iranian missiles striking Turkish territory.
Erdoğan seized on the opening, noting that F-35s were promised to Turkey historically and expressing optimism that the summit would move the issue forward.
The Turkey Problem
Turkey was expelled from the F-35 development and production consortium in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 air defense system. U.S. officials argued the Russian platform could compromise the classified systems embedded in the advanced fighter jet.
Vice President Vance confirmed last week that the Pentagon is now reviewing whether legal pathways exist to sell F-35s to Turkey despite it retaining the S-400. Vance told reporters the administration is examining what conditions must be met under U.S. law to make such a sale permissible.
Approving the deal would give Turkey the most advanced fighter capability in the eastern Mediterranean and make it the first country in the region to join the F-35 program itself. Israel currently holds the only F-35 fleet in the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lodged a direct complaint with Trump on Friday, according to reporting. Beyond objecting to Turkey's recent anti-Israel rhetoric, Netanyahu specifically requested that Trump withhold advanced weapons systems that would modernize Turkey's air force, with the F-35 topping his list of concerns.
Netanyahu's worry reflects a broader fear that arming Turkey with fifth-generation fighter technology could shift the regional military balance in ways unfavorable to Israeli interests. The U.S. has historically committed to maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge in the region.
On Capitol Hill, resistance is mounting. A bipartisan letter from 18 lawmakers led by Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) went to House leadership on Tuesday demanding that any F-35 sale to Turkey be blocked as long as the country retains the S-400. The lawmakers argued that such a transaction would violate U.S. law and existing sanctions regimes.
Trump had previously discussed selling F-35s to Saudi Arabia without requiring Riyadh to join the broader development program. No such deal has been finalized or delivered to date.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's eagerness to move fast on Turkey cuts straight against both Israeli security red lines and congressional skepticism, making this less a done deal and more the opening chapter of a drawn-out fight."
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