U.S. President Donald Trump said he will likely approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets and F-110 engines to Turkey, calling Ankara a "strong" NATO member. The remark, reported by Abu Ali Express, follows a series of Trump signals in recent days and a review ordered by Vice President Vance.
In the latest and most direct signal yet, President Donald Trump said he will likely approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets and F-110 engines to Turkey, explicitly naming both platforms for the first time. Speaking to a reporter who asked whether he would bring a "big gift bag" of these systems to Ankara, Trump replied, "I think so. He is a NATO member. Some people don't think that, but he really is." He added that Turkey is a "strong NATO member" and that he will "probably do something that will make him very happy." The remarks were reported by Abu Ali Express shortly before 08:15 Jerusalem on Thursday — following a sequence of escalating hints over the past 24 hours.
The thread opened Wednesday 23:34 Jerusalem, when Trump first signaled he may approve F-35 sales, saying he would "likely do something that will make Erdogan very happy." Although that initial report did not name specific systems, it established the direction. By 23:34 Jerusalem the same evening, in a second development, Trump specified the F-110 jet engines. A third version, published at 23:34 Jerusalem, added that Trump said he is attending the NATO Ankara summit at Erdogan's personal request and described Erdogan as a "strong guy who does everything I ask of him." Thursday morning, at 07:28 Jerusalem, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that the administration is reviewing whether Turkey meets legal requirements for the F-35 sale, and that Trump ordered the review. The current statement now ties F-35 and F-110 approval explicitly to Turkey's NATO membership.
As The Zioneer has reported over recent weeks (Jun 11, Jun 18, Jun 24), Trump has repeatedly praised Erdogan as a "friend" and a "great leader," and has remarked on the size of Turkey's military. The president has also asserted that Erdogan could have joined the Iran war but refrained at Trump's request. These comments form the backdrop of a broader shift in U.S. rhetoric toward Ankara. Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system, and any resumption would require congressional action or waiver.
No formal decision or timeline has been announced. It remains unclear whether Trump intends to offer a complete package of aircraft and engines, or whether the sale would require new legislation or a waiver of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The administration has not indicated whether Defense Ministry or congressional consultations have begun.
4 developments
- StrongVance confirms: Trump ordered Pentagon review of Turkey's eligibility for F-35 sale
- ConfirmedUS approves sale of engines for Turkish fighter jets, worth hundreds of millions
- DevelopingTurkey seeks F-110 engines for its domestic KAAN fighter project
- DevelopingMark Levin urges Trump to halt F-35 transfers to Turkey
Source and signal
- Internal intake