Trump offers Turkey F-35 jets and US sanctions relief at the NATO Ankara summit
US President Trump said he would 'consider' allowing Turkey to buy F-35 fighter jets and that the US would lift sanctions on Ankara, a bilateral announcement on the first day of the NATO summit in Turkey; Turkey's President Erdogan claimed Trump had promised five specific jets; if confirmed, it ends Turkey's exclusion from the program since 2019
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Summary
US President Trump said on July 7, the first day of the NATO summit in Turkey's capital Ankara, that he would "consider" allowing Turkey to purchase F-35 fighter jets and that the US would lift sanctions on Ankara. Speaking alongside Trump, Turkey's President Erdogan described the meeting as "productive" and claimed Trump had promised five specific jets. The two claims diverged: Trump's "consider" left the deal conditional, while Erdogan presented it as settled.
If confirmed as a concluded agreement, Turkey's readmission to the F-35 program would end a ban in place since 2019, when Ankara purchased Russia's S-400 air defense system. That purchase led the US to remove Turkey from the F-35 supply chain and block jet deliveries. The US and Turkey have also been at odds over Ankara's partial compliance with Russia sanctions since the full-scale Ukraine invasion.
The split
US outlets (ABC News) emphasise Trump's conditional "consider" language and note the announcement came "as he arrived" at the summit, suggesting a headline-level gesture rather than a concluded deal. The Jerusalem Post leads on Erdogan's harder claim of a firm five-jet promise and frames the development through regional security implications, given Israel's longstanding objection to Turkey operating the same stealth aircraft as the US Air Force. IBTimes UK focuses on the optics of the bilateral interaction, reporting that Erdogan appeared to guide Trump at a NATO ceremony, with international observers split on what that imagery signals about who drove the negotiation.
By the numbers
- 5, F-35 jets Erdogan claims Trump has promised Turkey
- 2019, the year Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program after purchasing Russia's S-400 system
- 7 years, the duration of Turkey's exclusion from the program before this announcement
Why it matters
Turkey's readmission to the F-35 program would be the most significant shift in US-Turkey defense relations since the S-400 dispute. It would give NATO a more integrated Turkish air force at a moment when the alliance is backing US strikes against Iran and sustaining Ukraine support. Israel has historically objected to third-party F-35 sales without security assurances, and the Israeli government's response to any firm deal will be a key signal.
What to watch
- Whether the US formally announces a sanctions-lift instrument or an amendment to Turkey's F-35 program status
- Israel's official response to any confirmed F-35 transfer
- Whether Turkey reciprocates with a shift in its Russia sanctions posture or adjusts its stance on Ukraine arms supply