Netanyahu publicly campaigns against Trump selling F-35 jets to Turkey

Jul 08, 2026

Israel is openly fighting Trump's warm ties with Turkey, a sign of how shaky the US-Israel alliance has become.

  • Trump got a red-carpet welcome in Turkey and is now considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, reversing an earlier ban.
  • Netanyahu went on US TV to beg Trump not to do it, calling Turkey a hostile, aggressive regime with dreams of restoring the Ottoman Empire.
  • The real worry for Israel is losing its air dominance in the region, since F-35s would let Turkey push back against Israeli strikes.
  • Trump praised Turkey as more loyal than other allies, a jab that seemed aimed partly at Netanyahu himself.
  • At the same time Israel bombed Lebanon and killed aid workers in Gaza, breaking a supposed ceasefire on all fronts.

Outlook: Expect a louder pressure campaign from Netanyahu and his US allies to block the jet sale, while Trump keeps courting Turkey as the superior partner.

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