Key Points
- 01Trump says U.S. will consider selling F-35 jets to Turkey
- 02Announcement includes plan to lift existing U.S. sanctions on Ankara
- 03Administration has not detailed how it will address legal barriers
- 04Erdoğan cites confidence in outcome and says Turkey was promised five jets
U.S. reopens door to F-35 sales to Turkey
During a bilateral meeting in Ankara on July 7, 2026, President Donald Trump said the United States would consider selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. He characterized the F-35 as “a great plane” and “the best,” signaling renewed engagement on a defense procurement issue that had been stalled for years.
Trump’s comments indicated that the question of Turkey’s access to the F-35 program was back under active review at the presidential level. However, he did not announce any finalized deal, delivery schedule, or formal decision to proceed with specific aircraft transfers.
Pledge to lift sanctions, but process unclear
Alongside the remarks on fighter jets, Trump stated that the United States would lift sanctions on Turkey, saying, “We’re going to be taking the sanctions off.” The sanctions are tied to previous tensions over Ankara’s defense purchases, and removing them would mark a significant policy shift.
News coverage on July 7 emphasized that the administration had not set out how or when sanctions would be removed. Officials were described as reviewing options, and no detailed roadmap or implementing steps were disclosed publicly at the time of the meeting.
Legal and congressional hurdles remain under review
Reports noted that existing congressional and legal restrictions continue to affect potential F-35 sales to Turkey. Trump did not specify how his administration would navigate those constraints if it sought to move forward with aircraft deliveries.
Officials were said to be examining possible approaches to comply with U.S. law while responding to the president’s stated intentions. As of July 7, no comprehensive plan had been announced to reconcile the president’s comments with the legal framework governing arms exports and sanctions.
Turkey’s expectations and references to promised jets
During the Ankara meeting, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed confidence that a favorable decision on the F-35 issue would emerge. He indicated that Turkey had been promised five jets, underscoring Ankara’s expectation of concrete progress.
Erdoğan’s remarks highlighted Turkey’s interest in restoring participation in advanced fighter procurement and normalizing defense ties. At the same time, the lack of a published timeline or procedural detail from the U.S. side left uncertainty over how quickly those expectations might be met.
Key Takeaways
- 01Trump’s remarks reopened the possibility of F-35 sales to Turkey and the lifting of sanctions but stopped short of announcing concrete actions.
- 02Legal and congressional constraints remain a central unresolved factor, with U.S. officials still reviewing how any shift could comply with existing law.
- 03Turkey is signaling strong expectations for progress, including references to five promised jets, while the U.S. position is framed as consideration rather than commitment.