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President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he plans to lift US sanctions on Turkey and signaled his willingness to go ahead with the long-delayed sale of F-35 fighter jets, marking a dramatic reversal of US policy towards the NATO alliance years after Ankara was kicked out of the program over its purchase of a Russian missile defense system.
Speaking to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a bilateral meeting at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday, Trump said his administration would lift sanctions on Turkey's defense sector.
“I can tell you that we will lift the sanctions, OK?” Trump said. “I don't want you to waste your time answering that question. It's time. We don't punish you guys.”
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomes US President Donald Trump at the Ankara airport, who is on an official visit to Turkey ahead of the 36th NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government in Ankara, Turkey, on July 07, 2026. (Dogukan Keskinkilic/Pool via REUTERS)
Asked if he would sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey despite existing legal restrictions related to Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense system made in Russia, Trump indicated that he was ready to do so.
“A lot of people, including those sitting here, think why can't we do that?” Trump said. “Turkey has been more honest in many ways than other countries that we think are honest.”
Pressed about concerns over Turkey's continued S-400, Trump dismissed them.
“I have no problem with anything.”
The remarks represent Trump's clearest indication that he intends to restore defense ties with Turkey, building on months of efforts to revive military cooperation with one of NATO's biggest powers after years of strained relations.
Turkey was removed from the international F-35 program in 2019 after it delivered the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, prompting Washington to argue that using the Kremlin-developed system alongside America's most advanced stealth fighter could expose sensitive US technology. Congress then imposed sanctions under the Counting America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA.
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Congress has long been one of the biggest obstacles to restoring Turkey's access to the F-35, with bipartisan lawmakers arguing that Ankara should not receive America's most advanced fighter jet while continuing to have the Russian-made S-400 air defense system and pursuing policies they say are against US interests.
US Airmen watch an Air Force F-35 Lightning II jet approach for the first time on July 14, 2011 at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. (Samuel King Jr./US Air Force)
In addition to political opposition, the Trump administration also faces legal challenges.
While the president has authority over sanctions policy, Congress enacted additional restrictions after Turkey's purchase of the S-400. Section 1245 of the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey unless the executive branch certifies that Ankara has met legal requirements related to the Russian missile system.
In recent days, a group of House lawmakers urged Trump not to move forward with the sale of the F-35, saying that doing so without satisfying those legal requirements would violate US law and undermine national security.
Lawmakers also warned that Turkey's continued possession of the S-400, support for Hamas and tensions with NATO allies Greece and Cyprus raise wider concerns about Ankara's return to the stealth fighter.
Russian S-400 missile air defense systems are seen before a military parade commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II, in the city of Volgograd, Russia February 2, 2018. REUTERS/Tatyana Maleyeva – UP1EE220T3A2B
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The Pentagon has emphasized that the S-400's sophisticated radar can collect data on the F-35's radar signature and electronic profile during normal operations, which could allow Russia to better identify and defeat the aircraft in future conflicts if that information is shared with Moscow.
When the Trump administration removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019, the White House said “the F-35 cannot meet the Russian intelligence gathering platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities.”
Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord similarly warned at the time that allowing Turkey to use both systems would jeopardize the long-term security of the F-35 program because “much of the F-35's strength is in its stealth capabilities.”
