US President Donald Trump said Monday that he is “seriously considering” the sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, despite opposition from Israel. The announcement came during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Florida, a close US ally.
Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program in 2019 due to its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence system, which was deemed incompatible with NATO standards. In 2020, the United States imposed sanctions on Ankara, despite Turkey being a NATO member.
President Trump emphasized his personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling him a “very good friend” and stating, “We won’t have problems, nothing will happen.”
The potential sale of F-35s to Turkey has raised security concerns in Israel, as the advanced jets could significantly enhance Turkey’s military capabilities in the region, particularly amid ongoing tensions in Syria.
F-35s, developed by Lockheed Martin under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, are the most technologically advanced fighter jets in the US arsenal. During his previous term, President Trump approved the sale of F-35s to the United Arab Emirates and authorized a broader military equipment package, including F-35s, to Saudi Arabia.
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