President Donald Trump reportedly flew overnight on a Qatari aircraft to Turkey, in a move to advance the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara, according to a report. The development follows weeks of signals from the Trump administration about the deal, which has drawn opposition from Israel and Congress.
President Donald Trump reportedly flew overnight on a Qatari aircraft to Turkey, according to a report, in a move to advance the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara. The report, from an Israeli outlet, cited Trump's flight as a concrete step following weeks of signals.
The Zioneer has extensively covered the F-35 sale saga. On June 25, Trump said he would likely approve the sale of F-35s and F-110 engines to Turkey, calling Ankara a 'strong' NATO member. Subsequent reports on June 26 and July 3 indicated that Trump was expected to visit Turkey and meet President Erdogan, teasing a 'big bag of gifts' including the F-35 deal. Netanyahu asked Trump to block the sale on July 7, and the Trump administration informed Congress of a $700 million engine sale on June 26.
The reported flight on a Qatari plane adds a new dimension, as Qatar has close ties with Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood. The move is likely to deepen concerns in Israel and among U.S. lawmakers about the erosion of Israel's air superiority and technology leakage to Russia and Iran.
The details of the meeting, including whether a deal was signed, remain unconfirmed. The report has not been officially corroborated by the White House or the Turkish government.
2 developments
- StrongTrump expected to visit Turkey, meet Erdogan, hints at 'big bag of gifts' including F-35 deal
- StrongTrump says he will likely approve F-35 and engine sale to Turkey
- StrongNYT: Trump to tell Erdogan he will lift F-35 ban, plans to resolve S-400 impasse
- DevelopingMark Levin blasts Trump over reported F-35 sale to Turkey
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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