Trump Lifts Turkey Sanctions, Eyes F-35 Sale
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- Trump announced Washington will lift US sanctions on Turkey imposed in 2020 over Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 defense missiles, calling Turkey "much more loyal than other countries."
- Trump expressed willingness to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, calling the aircraft "the best plane by far" but offering no specifics on how a sale would proceed given legal hurdles.
- The 2020 sanctions removed Turkey from the F-35 program—where Ankara was a production partner—and targeted a major Turkish defense company, creating a five-year rift in bilateral ties.
- Congress passed a law explicitly prohibiting F-35 sales to Turkey as long as Ankara retains the S-400 system, which the US says poses a security risk to its combat aircraft.
- One solution gaining traction among negotiators is transferring Turkey's S-400 system to a third country, though no agreement has been sealed and Russia imposes end-user obligations on its weapons sales.
- Trump's visit to Turkey—the first by a US president in 11 years—featured a lavish state ceremony hosted by Erdogan, and the source notes Turkey's deteriorating human rights record has drawn no concern from Washington under Trump.
Why it matters: Turkey was ejected from the F-35 program in 2020 and sanctioned over the S-400 deal, a five-year standoff. Trump's dual move—lifting sanctions and floating F-35 sales—aims to reset ties with Erdogan, but a congressionally mandated sales ban remains in force unless the S-400s leave Turkish soil, and no third-country transfer agreement has been signed.
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