Trump to sell F-35s to Turkey and lift sanctions, over Israel's objections

Jul 07, 2026

Trump is cozying up to Turkey's Erdoğan at a NATO summit, agreeing to sell F-35 jets and drop sanctions — good for Turkey, bad for Israel, which wants its rivals kept weak.

  • Trump plans to sell Turkey F-35 fighter jets and lift the sanctions imposed during his first term.
  • Turkey was kicked out of the F-35 program earlier for buying Russian air-defense systems, but Trump now says he has no concerns.
  • Netanyahu is lobbying hard against the deal, claiming Turkey wants to rebuild the Ottoman Empire — a charge dismissed as projection of Israel's own expansion.
  • Turkey has leverage as NATO's second-largest military, and European allies see it as key to any future fight with Russia.
  • A likely driver is a private business deal between Trump and Erdoğan rather than US strategic interest.

Outlook: Expect the F-35 sale and sanctions relief to move forward, deepening the rift between Trump and Netanyahu.

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