President Donald Trump, during the first day of the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday, said he will consider allowing Turkey to buy American F-35 fighter jets — despite possessing Russian-made air defense systems, which his first administration sanctioned the country for six years ago.
“It’s a decision we’re going to make,” Trump said as he met Turkish President Recep Erdogan at Erdogan’s presidential compound.
“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,” Trump said. “So, it’s something, certainly, we would consider. It’s a great plane, it’s the best, currently the best plane by far, and it’s certainly something we will consider.”
Turkey seeks to join a U.S. F-35 program but is prohibited from doing so under U.S. law as long as it possesses Russian-made air defenses.
In a 2020 release, Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said those systems “would endanger the security of U.S. military technology and personnel and provide substantial funds to Russia’s defense sector, as well as Russian access to the Turkish armed forces and defense industry.”
Vice President JD Vance, during an Oval Office meeting with Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last week, said Secretary Pete Hegseth and the Defense Department were reviewing the Turkish purchase of American F-35 fighters, and Trump during that meeting teased a “gift” for Turkey, suggesting the sale.
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