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Tuesday, July 7, 2026
NYT: Trump set to tell Erdogan that Turkey can rejoin F-35 fighter jet program
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US President Donald Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is prepared to allow the country to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program, the New York Times reports, citing four senior administration officials.
The report comes as Trump heads to Ankara for a NATO summit, where he is expected to meet Erdogan. The summit is set to begin this evening.
According to the New York Times report, the officials differ on the details of how Trump would seek to work around congressional and legal restrictions, but suggest there could be an exchange of letters on the subject between the two leaders.
The White House does not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on the report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel does not think Turkey should receive F-35s or engines for their fighter jets, and he reportedly urged Trump against such a move in a recent phone call.
Turkey’s 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system has soured ties with the United States and hampered congressional support for Ankara. In response, Washington imposed sanctions and removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.
Congress also passed a law prohibiting any sales of F-35s to Turkey as long as Ankara remained in possession of the S-400s, saying the Russian system poses a security risk to US-made combat aircraft.
The Times of Israel Community.