Trump expected to tell Erdogan US to allow F-35 purchase despite Israeli pressure - report

President Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at this week's NATO summit in Ankara that he is prepared to restore Turkey's access to the F-35 stealth fighter program, reversing a ban he imposed himself in 2019. The summit is set to begin Tuesday evening.

Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program after purchasing Russia's S-400 air defense system, a move Washington feared could allow Russia to study the jet's stealth capabilities. Congress subsequently passed a law barring any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as it retains the S-400s, citing the security risk the Russian system poses to American-made aircraft. That congressional restriction remains one of the central obstacles to any deal. However, one official told the New York Times that Turkey's S-400s could be transferred to a third party as a workaround, adding that the mechanism had not yet been finalized.

Despite the legal hurdles, Trump has signaled his intent to move forward, telling NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last month that he was bringing Erdogan "a gift" that would make him "very happy." The reported plan follows the Trump administration's formal notification to Congress last month of its intention to sell Turkey dozens of jet engines worth more than $700 million, seen by analysts as a sign of improving ties between the two countries.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pushed back forcefully against the prospective deal. In two Fox News appearances Monday, ahead of the summit, he said, "Turkey is a great country, but it's governed by a man who calls openly for the annihilation of Israel." He added that Erdogan "occupies half of Cyprus, a NATO country," and "talks openly about conquering Jerusalem." Netanyahu also raised the issue privately with Trump in a Friday phone call, urging him not to sell Turkey advanced air force platforms. A senior US official told Axios that Trump may pass along a message asking Erdogan to soften his rhetoric, but added, "It is what it is."

The dispute unfolds against a backdrop of escalating anti-Israel statements from Ankara. Erdogan last week called Zionism "a genocidal ideology," while Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the Israeli government as "a burden that humanity can no longer bear."

Trump arrives in Ankara on Tuesday at a tense moment for NATO, having long complained that European allies undercontribute to the alliance's defense spending. He is also expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday before departing from Turkey.