President Trump says he is seriously considering selling F-35 jets to Turkey, a move opposed by Israel’s Netanyahu during their Florida meeting.
PALM BEACH: US President Donald Trump said he is seriously considering selling advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who strongly opposes such a deal.
“We’re thinking about it very seriously,” Trump said when asked about the potential sale at his Florida club.
The United States removed Turkey from the F-35 development programme in 2019.
This action followed Ankara’s decision to purchase Russian missile defence systems.
Trump maintains warm relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
This persists despite Erdogan’s sharp criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Israeli officials contend that providing F-35s would enhance Turkey’s capabilities in a potential conflict.
The two nations have differing interests in war-torn Syria, which borders both countries.
When questioned about possible Israel-Turkey tensions, Trump called Erdogan “a very good friend.”
“We’re not going have a problem,” Trump stated regarding Israel and Turkey.
He added, “Nothing’s going to happen.”
During his first term, Trump also approved F-35 sales to the United Arab Emirates after it normalised relations with Israel.
He has recently expressed support for selling the advanced jets to Saudi Arabia as well.
This stance challenges the long-held US policy of ensuring Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region.
