President Donald Trump stated Tuesday that he will consider allowing Turkey to purchase American F-35 fighter jets, a move that would reverse a previous administration's decision to impose sanctions on the country. The president made these remarks during the NATO Summit in Ankara, where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
"It's a decision we're going to make," Trump told reporters. "We have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey's been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal." He described the F-35 as "the best plane, currently the best plane by far, and it's certainly something we will consider."
Turkey's acquisition of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems had previously led to U.S. sanctions and prevented the country from participating in the F-35 program. In 2020, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that these Russian systems "would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia’s defense sector." Trump, however, expressed no concerns about Turkey possessing both American and Russian systems.
Vice President JD Vance had previously indicated that the Defense Department was reviewing the potential sale of F-35 fighters to Turkey. Trump also suggested that the U.S. had an "obligation" to maintain the engines of planes Turkey had already acquired, citing Turkey's support on Iran.
During his remarks at the NATO summit, Trump also voiced disappointment with several NATO allies, including Italy, Germany, and France, for their reluctance to join U.S. military operations, particularly concerning the Strait of Hormuz and efforts related to Iran's nuclear program. "Why are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars and they're not there for us? We've always been there for them," Trump said.
Trump also announced that the U.S. would lift sanctions on Turkey. "I can tell you we're going to take the sanctions off," he said, adding, "It's time to do that." He indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Secretary Pete Hegseth were involved in the process of lifting the sanctions. The president stated, "We're going to be taking the sanctions off. It's time to do that, OK?"