US President Donald Trump said his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be “very happy” when asked Wednesday about giving Turkey access to F-35 fighter jets.
“I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy,” Trump said when a reporter inquired about Erdogan wanting the jets and whether he would be bringing a “big gift bag” with him to Ankara, Turkiye, during the Nato summit there next month.
The F-35 fighter jet, a top-of-the-line stealth plane, was originally developed by the United States in partnership with other Nato countries -- of which Turkiye is a member -- under a program called the Joint Strike Fighter.
However, the United States booted Turkiye from development of the F-35 in 2019 after the Nato ally went ahead with purchases of missile defense from Russia.
But Trump has since warmed relations with Erdogan, though he did not say his attendance at the defense alliance summit would include a formal visit to Turkiye.
Despite Trump’s inclination, Vice President JD Vance clarified the sale of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye would require approval from US Congress.
“This is really a congressional thing, and ensuring that Turkiye has complied with American law, so they can get the F-35,” Vance said.
