US President Donald Trump is considering lifting sanctions on Turkey and potentially resuming the sale of advanced fighter jets, including the F-35, after a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, according to a report by Fox News Digital published Friday.
Citing unnamed sources, Fox News reported that Trump is open to Turkey’s return to the F-35 program if Ankara agrees to disable or relocate its Russian-made S-400 missile defense system. Proposed arrangements include dismantling parts of the system or moving it to a US-controlled base in Turkey.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 joint strike fighter program in 2019 after acquiring the S-400 system from Russia, which the US government said posed a threat to the security of the stealth aircraft. The White House at the time warned of “detrimental impacts” on NATO interoperability and rejected Turkey’s request for access to sensitive missile technology under the American-made Patriot system.
Although Congress approved a $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and upgrade kits to Turkey last year, negotiations between Turkey’s defense ministry and Lockheed Martin are ongoing. Trump now appears willing to go further, contingent on Turkey addressing concerns over the S-400.
Trump’s team has reportedly requested legal and technical assessments on how to bypass violations of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), Fox News said.
During their recent phone call, Erdoğan told Trump that lifting CAATSA sanctions and finalizing the F-16 deal were key to restoring cooperation in the defense sector. He also pushed for Turkey’s return to the F-35 program, according to a readout from the Turkish presidency cited by Fox News.
In addition, Erdoğan asked the US to lift sanctions on Syria. The US did not issue a public summary of the conversation.
Experts interviewed by Fox News expressed skepticism over Turkey’s eligibility for the F-35.
“The F-35 club is really for trusted allies,” said Jonathan Schanzer, executive director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. He added that while the Trump administration appears eager to bring Turkey “back into the fold,” concerns over Ankara’s democratic backsliding remain.
Endy Zemenides of the Hellenic American Leadership Council told Fox News that Turkey has supported actors like Hamas and the Houthis, raising alarms about its alignment with US interests.
Despite these concerns, some argue that isolating Turkey could push it further into Russia and China’s orbit. Jonathan Bass, CEO of Argent LNG, told Fox News that Trump’s approach appears to prioritize business and strategic alignment. “We don’t need Turkey with nearly one million soldiers on the other side,” Bass said.
The United Kingdom recently offered to sell 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey, potentially increasing pressure on Washington to re-engage with Ankara. The Turkish military is NATO’s second largest after the United States.
“Turkey is a major economy. We need them to come down on the right side of the fence,” Bass added, noting the country’s role in global supply chains and mining operations.
Fox News also reported that Turkish and US officials are working to finalize plans for Erdoğan to visit the US for further talks.