Trump Plans to Approve F-35 Sales to Turkey Despite Congressional Hurdles

US President Donald Trump is expected to inform Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his decision to allow Turkey to purchase advanced F-35 fighter jets, according to a New York Times report. Trump, who removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 due to Turkey's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems, is now prepared to reinstate Ankara into the stealth fighter program. This move comes as Trump attends the NATO summit in Ankara and reportedly intends to present Erdogan with a "gift" that will please him greatly.

Four senior US officials indicated that Trump has never fully agreed with the 2019 decision to exclude Turkey and has sought ways to reverse it. However, the main obstacle remains securing Congressional approval, as a 2020 law prohibits F-35 sales to Turkey while it operates the Russian S-400 system. Intense behind-the-scenes negotiations have been ongoing to resolve this impasse, including proposals to transfer the S-400 systems to a third party or disable them by removing key components. Past ideas, such as transferring the systems to Ukraine, were not realized.

The potential deal contradicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's request to Trump not to sell advanced weaponry to Turkey, citing Erdogan's hostile rhetoric and regional threats. Despite this, Turkey has already paid for F-35 jets, which are currently stored in the US, possibly enabling a swift delivery if the sale proceeds. Additionally, the Trump administration is reportedly advancing a separate deal to sell Turkey dozens of jet engines worth over $700 million for its indigenous KAAN fighter jet program, signaling a broader effort to strengthen US-Turkey defense ties ahead of the NATO summit.

While Trump may announce his intention to move forward with the F-35 sale, officials caution that the final approval and timing remain uncertain due to legal and political challenges. The Turkish Foreign Minister noted that convincing Trump to attend the NATO summit was the most difficult part of the preparations, implying the significance of the forthcoming discussions between the two leaders.