U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit Turkey next week for a NATO summit and meet President Erdogan, according to Israeli media reports. Trump hinted the visit may include an announcement on the sale of F-35 fighter jets and engines to Turkey, saying he would arrive with a "bag of gifts."
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to visit Turkey next week for a NATO summit, where he is slated to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to an i24NEWS report. Trump hinted the visit could include an announcement on the sale of F-35 fighter jets and F-110 engines to Turkey, stating he would arrive with a "bag of gifts" that would make Erdogan very happy. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russian S-400 air defense systems.
This development follows a series of signals from the Trump administration regarding Turkey's potential return to the program. On June 25, Trump said he would "likely" approve the F-35 and engine sale, and Vice President Vance confirmed that Trump had ordered a legal review of Ankara's eligibility. The NATO summit in Ankara has been a recurring topic in recent weeks: Erdogan earlier called Trump's participation important for alliance unity, and Trump revealed on June 25 that Turkey had considered joining the war alongside Iran, but that he asked Erdogan to stay out. The Zioneer has also reported on Trump's assurances that a potential Israel-Turkey clash would not happen while he is president.
The current report, based on a single Israeli media source, remains unconfirmed by U.S. or Turkish official statements. The visit and any F-35 deal would mark a significant shift in U.S.-Turkey defense relations.
- StrongTrump says he will likely approve F-35 and engine sale to Turkey
- DevelopingReport: Trump tells Erdogan he's coming to NATO summit in July just for him
- StrongTrump reveals Turkey considered joining Iran war, says he asked Erdogan to stay out
- DevelopingTrump says he will speak with Turkey, calls Erdogan 'great'
Source and signal
- Internal intake