Trump ready to restore Turkey's F-35 access: report

President Donald Trump is expected to inform Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is ready to restore Turkey's access to the F-35 stealth fighter program, according to a New York Times report citing senior administration officials. The development is anticipated as Trump prepares to meet Erdogan at a NATO summit.

Officials reportedly differed on the specifics of how Trump might navigate congressional and legal obstacles, suggesting a potential exchange of letters between the leaders. The White House has not yet commented on the report.

Turkey's relationship with the United States has been strained since its 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system. This led to U.S. sanctions and Turkey's removal from the F-35 program, with Congress passing legislation to prohibit F-35 sales to Turkey as long as it possessed the S-400s, citing security risks to U.S. aircraft.

Despite these tensions, the reported development signals an improvement in bilateral ties. This follows the Trump administration's recent notification to Congress of its intent to sell Turkey dozens of jet engines valued at over $700 million.