Trump signals major reset in US-Türkiye defense ties amid Nato summit

ANKARA, Türkiye (MNTV) — U.S. President Donald Trump has signaled a major shift in Washington’s defense relationship with Türkiye, saying he is prepared to lift CAATSA sanctions, consider restoring Ankara’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet program and deepen broader military cooperation following talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

The developments follow weeks of behind-the-scenes discussions by senior U.S. national security officials aimed at breaking the years-long impasse over Türkiye’s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, according to senior administration officials cited by The New York Times.

Officials said Trump is expected to move forward with restoring Türkiye’s access to the F-35 program, although the timing remains uncertain and the administration has yet to explain how it would overcome congressional and legal restrictions tied to the issue.

Speaking after his meeting with Trump, Erdogan said he believed the NATO summit would produce a “favorable decision” on Türkiye’s long-standing request to acquire the fifth-generation fighter jets.

“The F-35 issue is not a new one for us,” Erdogan said, noting that Ankara had previously received commitments from Washington regarding five aircraft. He expressed confidence that earlier U.S. commitments would ultimately be honored and praised Trump’s approach to bilateral relations.

Trump also told reporters that his administration would move to remove sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), saying the United States did not want to sanction friendly countries. He said he was coordinating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to finalize the decision.

Although Trump pledged to lift the sanctions, permanent removal would still require compliance with procedures established under U.S. law because the sanctions were imposed by Congress in 2020.

On the F-35 program, Trump said he would “certainly consider” resuming sales to Türkiye, describing the country as “much more loyal than other countries.” He called the F-35 “the best plane by far” and suggested Washington had an obligation to support military equipment supplied to allies.

Trump also dismissed concerns surrounding Türkiye’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, which prompted Washington to suspend Ankara from the F-35 program in 2019. U.S. officials had argued the Russian system could compromise the aircraft’s security and was incompatible with NATO systems.

Türkiye has consistently rejected those claims, maintaining there is no technical conflict between the S-400 and the F-35. Ankara says it fulfilled all contractual obligations under the fighter jet program, proposed the creation of a joint technical commission to examine the issue, and argues its removal violated agreed commitments.

Turkish officials also maintain that restoring the aircraft would strengthen both Türkiye’s defense capabilities and NATO’s collective security.

Erdogan also said he intended to discuss U.S. support for Türkiye’s domestically developed KAAN fighter aircraft, including the supply of General Electric F110 engines. He said he expected Trump to reaffirm what he described as “good news” previously shared with Ankara.

The Trump administration has recently informed Congress of its intention to proceed with a proposed sale of dozens of F110 engines to Türkiye in a deal valued at more than $700 million.

The engines are expected to power the KAAN fighter program, launched to reduce Türkiye’s dependence on foreign defense suppliers.

Trump praised Erdogan’s leadership, describing him as a respected global leader who had transformed Türkiye into a powerful military force. He said the two leaders had maintained strong personal relations since his first term and described their relationship as benefiting both countries.

Erdogan said Trump’s visit and their meeting had strengthened bilateral ties and stressed that Türkiye attached great importance to the NATO summit. He added that Ankara and Washington would demonstrate strong solidarity as key NATO allies.

Beyond defense issues, the two leaders discussed efforts to end the war in Ukraine, with Trump saying both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wanted to reach an agreement and praising Erdogan’s role in mediation efforts.

Erdogan also said Türkiye continued working to improve relations between Iran and the United States while expressing hope that the NATO summit would contribute to peace efforts in Gaza.

He said he planned to discuss continuing ceasefire violations and humanitarian aid deliveries with Trump, expressing optimism that the summit could produce positive outcomes.

Trump also praised Syria’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying he had done an “amazing job” stabilizing the country over the past 18 months, and indicated he expected to meet him during the summit.

The U.S. president also voiced frustration with several NATO allies, including France, Germany and Italy, accusing them of failing to provide support during the recent conflict involving Iran. He suggested he might not have attended the summit had it not been hosted by Türkiye, citing his friendship with Erdogan.

Trump additionally warned that Washington could reconsider the future deployment of U.S. troops in Europe, arguing the continent had changed significantly over the past two decades, and reiterated his view that Greenland should come under U.S. control rather than remain part of Denmark.