President Donald Trump has signaled that the United States may be preparing to restore Turkey’s access to the F-35 fighter jet program, framing the move as something that would make President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “very happy.” Speaking after a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump praised Erdogan as a strong leader and said Turkey is a “strong and prominent” NATO ally with a powerful military.
Trump also claimed that Turkey had been close to joining a war against Israel or siding with Iran during the recent conflict, but said he stopped that from happening because Erdogan “does what I ask him.” He added that Erdogan personally asked him to attend the NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, and said he was going “out of great respect” for the Turkish president.
Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that the administration is seriously reviewing whether Turkey can be allowed back into the F-35 program. He said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his team are checking whether the legal conditions are met, while noting that Trump instructed them to conduct the review. Turkey was removed from the program in 2019 after buying Russia’s S-400 air defense system.
Separately, Reuters reported that the Trump administration is also moving ahead with a sale of dozens of jet engines to Turkey worth more than $700 million, despite some opposition in Congress. The General Electric engines are intended for Turkey’s indigenous KAAN fighter project, launched in 2016. Lawmakers remain divided, with senior Democrat Gregory Meeks criticizing the White House for not adequately briefing Congress on the implications of the deal and Turkey’s continued possession of the S-400. Even so, the administration is expected to complete the engine deal in the coming days and then formally notify Congress.
