Trump Ready to Allow Turkey Back into F-35 Program: Report

President Donald Trump is reportedly prepared to permit Turkey's return to the F-35 fighter jet program, according to four senior administration officials cited by The New York Times. This development is anticipated as Trump heads to the NATO summit, where he is scheduled to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

While officials reportedly held differing views on the specific mechanisms Trump might employ to bypass congressional restrictions, they suggested a potential exchange of letters between the two leaders on the matter. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Relations between the U.S. and Turkey have been strained since Ankara's acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems in 2019. This move prompted U.S. sanctions and excluded Turkey from the F-35 program. Congress also enacted legislation prohibiting F-35 sales to Turkey as long as it possesses the S-400 systems, citing security risks to the American-made jets.

Despite ongoing disputes, the potential readmission to the F-35 program signals a possible improvement in bilateral ties. This follows a recent notification from the Trump administration to Congress regarding its intent to sell dozens of aircraft engines worth over $700 million to Turkey, as seen in a Reuters copy of the official notice.