U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration is “seriously thinking about” approving the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye, a step that would signal a major shift in U.S. policy after Washington removed Ankara from the program in 2019 over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system.
Speaking after meeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida, Trump paired the remarks with a reassurance aimed at Israel, saying: “I promise they’ll never use them on Israel.”
Trump also sought to downplay tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv. “Netanyahu and (President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan are not going to have a problem,” Trump told reporters. “I know Erdoğan very well… he’s a good friend of mine. I believe him, and I respect him,” Trump added, saying Netanyahu shares that respect. Trump insisted the two countries would avoid conflict: “We’re not going to have a problem… Nothing’s going to happen.”
Beyond the F-35 question, Trump credited Erdoğan with playing a decisive role in Syria’s recent political shift. “Don’t forget, it was President Erdoğan that helped very much,” Trump said. He added that Erdoğan “deserves a lot of credit” for getting rid of “a very bad ruler of Syria,” referring to the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Trump went further, claiming that Netanyahu “agrees with that” assessment.
The prospect of an F-35 sale remains politically and legally fraught in Washington. The United States removed Türkiye from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara proceeded with the S-400 purchase, with U.S. officials warning the Russian system could endanger sensitive F-35 technology and undermine NATO security. Since then, congressional opposition has been a central obstacle to any move that would restore Türkiye’s access to the aircraft, with lawmakers from both parties arguing that Ankara must first resolve the S-400 issue before any return to the program or direct sale can proceed.
Trump’s remarks came as he and Netanyahu addressed a wider set of regional issues, including Syria’s post-Assad trajectory and the next phase of Gaza ceasefire diplomacy. Netanyahu said Israel is focused on securing a peaceful border with Syria, while Trump expressed confidence that Israel could ultimately coexist with Syria’s new leadership, telling reporters he would help ensure the sides “get along.”
