President Trump announced the U.S. may reverse its ban on selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, declaring the administration is prepared to remove sanctions imposed on the NATO ally. “We’re going to be taking the sanctions off… We don’t want to sanction friends,” Trump told reporters, signaling a significant policy shift.
The move would upend a 2019 decision to expel Turkey from the F-35 program after Ankara acquired Russia’s S-400 air defense system, which Washington deemed a threat to the stealth jet’s security. Reintegrating Turkey could reshape force posture in the eastern Mediterranean and strain relations with other allies who backed the original ban.
NATO partners have expressed mixed reactions. Some European members worry that restoring Turkey’s F-35 access undermines alliance cohesion, while Ankara has long argued the exclusion was counterproductive. Russia has yet to comment publicly, but the Kremlin previously exploited the rift to deepen defense ties with Turkey.
The financial stakes are substantial: Turkey had planned to purchase over 100 F-35s, and lifting the ban would unlock billions in potential sales for Lockheed Martin. However, no contract value or timeline has been specified, and any reversal would require congressional approval.
Critics caution that the policy shift could embolden Turkey to retain the S-400 system, creating ongoing security risks. “This isn't just about a jet—it's about whether the U.S. can enforce its own red lines against a NATO member,” a former Pentagon official told Breaking Defense.