Trump plans to lift Turkey sanctions, ponders F-35 sale

The White House would remove U.S. sanctions against Turkey, President Donald Trump told reporters Tuesday. He arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for the NATO summit and held a joint press conference with Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The United States doesn’t sanction its friends, so it’s time for Turkey’s sanctions to be removed, Trump said. He also hinted at allowing Turkey to resume buying F-35 fighter jets, the U.S. Air Force’s most advanced fighters.

When did Turkey lose access to buy F-35’s? The first Trump administration sanctioned Turkey in 2020, after it purchased antiaircraft systems from Russia. Those sanctions included barring Turkey from participating in the F-35 program. Trump appeared to change his tune on Tuesday, telling reporters he had no concerns about Turkey. The United States and Turkey have a very good relationship, and Turkey has shown greater loyalty than other countries, he said.

The 2026 NATO summit in Ankara will last two days and heavily center on defense spending, according to the bloc.