Trump Expected to Back F-35 Fighter Jet Sale to Türkiye During Ankara Visit

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to endorse the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye during a visit to Ankara for a NATO summit.

The move represents a significant diplomatic gesture toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reflecting warmer bilateral ties since the U.S. president returned to office last year.

Four senior administration officials speaking to Reuters indicated that the proposal follows weeks of behind-the-scenes negotiations by national security officials to break a long-standing impasse.

While Trump intends to signal his willingness to restore Ankara's access to the stealth fighter program, the timeline for execution remains uncertain.

Legal and Regulatory Barriers

Significant legislative hurdles remain on Capitol Hill before any delivery can occur. Current U.S. law explicitly prohibits F-35 sales to Türkiye unless the administration certifies that Ankara no longer possesses or operates the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.

Washington removed Türkiye from the F-35 program in 2019 and imposed sanctions on a major Turkish defense company in 2020 following Türkiye's acquisition of the S-400.

U.S. officials argued the Russian platform compromised the security of the stealth aircraft and lacked compatibility with NATO networks.

Vice President JD Vance stated that a formal review led by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is currently underway.

The assessment aims to determine whether Türkiye has complied with the statutory requirements necessary for certification under American law.

S-400 Dilemma and Diplomatic Friction

Negotiators are exploring a potential compromise that involves transferring the S-400 hardware to a third country to circumvent legal restrictions.

However, an agreement has not yet been finalized, and it remains unclear whether Russia would consent to such an arrangement given end-user restrictions on its weapons sales.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that the two leaders have a strong political will to eliminate the current U.S. sanctions, although no specific timetable has been set.

U.S. Ambassador Tom Barrack recently described current bilateral discussions on the matter as the most productive in nearly a decade.

Ankara has consistently rejected claims that the S-400 poses a security risk to NATO assets and previously proposed a joint commission to investigate the matter.

Turkish officials maintain that returning the country to the program would enhance collective security within the alliance.

Regional and Congressional Pushback

The administration's initiative faces domestic and international resistance.

Senator Lindsey Graham acknowledged the proposal could experience friction on Capitol Hill, noting that Türkiye's relations with Israel are unhelpful to its standing in Congress.

Graham also told Türkiye Today that, despite the challenges, he believes a solution could be found to allow the delivery of F-35s to Türkiye.

He also described Türkiye as "a great ally and the only Muslim nation in NATO."

Geopolitical opposition has also emerged from the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly stated his opposition to the sale, warning that supplying F-35 aircraft or engines to Türkiye would disrupt the regional balance of power.

The F-35 discussions follow the administration's recent formal notification to Congress regarding a separate $700 million sale of jet engines for KAAN, Türkiye's indigenous combat aircraft.

That transaction proceeded despite formal objections raised by some U.S. lawmakers.