US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, 7 July signalled that his administration is open to reconsidering the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, saying it was 'certainly something we will consider', as he described the current phase of US-Turkey relations as the strongest in history. The remarks came at a joint media appearance with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of their bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara.

What Trump Said

Asked directly whether the United States would sell F-35 aircraft to Turkey despite existing legal and political restrictions, Trump replied: 'It's a decision we're going to make, right? We have a very good relationship.'

He went further, suggesting that Turkey's loyalty had surpassed that of other American allies. 'I would think that many people — including the people sitting right here — think, why wouldn't we do that? We have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey's been in many ways much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal,' Trump said.

Trump also framed the potential sale in terms of an American obligation to countries that purchase US military equipment. 'When they buy a product from us, whether it's a plane or anything else, when it's time for maintenance, I think we have — don't we have an obligation to help them?' he said.

The Background: S-400 and CAATSA Sanctions

Turkey was formally removed from the multinational F-35 fighter programme in 2019 after it acquired the Russian S-400 air defence system. The purchase triggered US sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Since then, Ankara has sought to restore defence ties with Washington while pressing ahead with its own air force modernisation.

Any resumption of F-35 deliveries would mark a significant reversal in US policy and would require navigating substantial legal and congressional hurdles. The issue has remained one of the most contentious fault lines in the US-Turkey alliance, even as both NATO partners have continued to cooperate on regional security, counterterrorism, and Black Sea stability.

Erdogan as a 'Respected Leader'

Trump repeatedly praised Erdogan during the appearance, calling him 'a respected leader all over the world' and noting that Turkey had become 'a very powerful country militarily.' He credited personal chemistry for the durability of the bilateral relationship. 'We've had right from the beginning, good chemistry. We've had a very special relationship,' Trump said.

The two leaders were scheduled to discuss trade, military cooperation, and Iran during their bilateral meeting. Trump also suggested that Turkey had played a constructive role during recent tensions involving Iran, saying Ankara had been 'very instrumental' in efforts aimed at what he called the 'denuclearisation' of Iran. He added he was 'totally sure' Erdogan did not want Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.

What Happens Next

Trump expressed confidence that bilateral cooperation would deepen following the NATO Summit. 'The relationship with Turkey right now is better probably than it's ever been,' he said. 'It was good in my first four years, but I think now it's probably even better than that, if that's possible.'

Notably, any formal move to revive the F-35 sale would require the White House to either waive or work around CAATSA provisions — a step that would face resistance in the US Congress and scrutiny from other NATO allies wary of Turkey's continued operation of the S-400. The coming weeks will likely test whether Trump's signals translate into a concrete policy shift or remain diplomatic goodwill.