PALM BEACH, United States: US President Donald Trump said Monday he was considering selling top-end F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye, during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who adamantly opposes the move.
“We’re thinking about it very seriously,” Trump said when asked about an F-35 deal for Turkiye as he met Netanyahu at the US leader’s Florida club.
The United States booted Turkiye from development of the F-35, a top-of-the-line stealth plane, in 2019 after the NATO ally went ahead with purchases of missile defense from Russia.
Trump, however, has warm relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite the veteran Islamist-rooted leader’s fiery denunciations of Israel’s devastating offensive in Gaza.
Israeli policymakers argue that F-35s would benefit Turkiye in a potential war. Israel and Turkiye are at odds over war-ravaged Syria, which neighbors both countries.
Asked about the potential for conflict between Israel and Turkiye, Trump called Erdogan “a very good friend.”
“We’re not going have a problem,” Trump said of Israel and Turkiye. “Nothing’s going to happen.”
Trump in his first term also agreed to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates after it recognized Israel.
He more recently voiced support for F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia, despite longstanding US policy that Israel must have a military edge over potential regional adversaries.