Trump Announces Plans to Lift Turkey Sanctions and Consider F-35 Sales

2026-07-07

The BareStory

During a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO Summit in Ankara on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that his administration plans to lift sanctions on Turkey's defense sector and will consider allowing the country to purchase American F-35 fighter jets. Trump stated that the U.S. is working to remove the sanctions, which were originally imposed during his first administration in 2020, asserting that Turkey has been a loyal ally.

The proposed move represents a shift in U.S. policy. Turkey was expelled from the multinational F-35 program and sanctioned after acquiring the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. While past assessments from Pentagon officials and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned that the Russian system could compromise the security of the F-35 by collecting sensitive data on its radar signature, Trump stated on Tuesday that he has no concerns regarding Turkey's possession of the Russian military technology.

According to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are currently working on the process to lift the sanctions. Additionally, Vice President JD Vance previously stated that Hegseth and the Defense Department were reviewing Turkey's potential purchase of the fighter jets.

Despite the administration's plans, the proposal faces legal and political challenges. Federal legislation, including the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act and the fiscal year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, legally prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey unless the executive branch certifies that specific statutory requirements regarding the Russian missile system are met. Furthermore, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers recently urged Trump to halt the sale, citing concerns over national security, U.S. law, and Turkey's foreign policy relations.

Left Perspective

Upholding Legal Accountability Standards
Defending Democratic Alliance Integrity
Preventing Unchecked Strategic Proliferation

Right Perspective

Securing Vital Geopolitical Anchors
Reclaiming Lost Defense Dominance
Rejecting Bureaucratic Inertia's Grip

Left Perspective

• Upholding Legal Accountability Standards International treaties and statutory laws must serve as binding constraints on executive power to prevent the erosion of collective security agreements. The Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) were established to penalize actions that compromise allied intelligence. Bypassing these statutory requirements to reward a state possessing Russian military technology undermines the rule of law and sets a dangerous precedent of impunity for treaty violations.

• Defending Democratic Alliance Integrity True alliance loyalty must be measured by shared democratic values and consistent geopolitical alignment, rather than transactional executive agreements. Turkey's retention of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system poses an active threat to the technological integrity of the F-35 program. Accepting assurances over verified technical compliance compromises the collective security of all NATO partners who adhere to established security protocols.

• Preventing Unchecked Strategic Proliferation Rushing to lift sanctions on a state with divergent foreign policy interests risks destabilizing regional security architectures. Introducing advanced F-35 fighter jets into a volatile geopolitical landscape where the recipient maintains close defense ties with adversaries could lead to critical intelligence leaks. A bipartisan group of lawmakers rightly fears that ignoring these risks prioritizes short-term political deals over long-term strategic stability and international norms.

Right Perspective

• Securing Vital Geopolitical Anchors National security relies on maintaining strong relations with strategically positioned partners to project power and maintain regional balance. Turkey represents a critical geopolitical bridge and a key NATO ally whose cooperation is essential for regional stability. Removing the 2020 defense sector sanctions recognizes this reality, prioritizing the preservation of a vital security partnership over rigid adherence to past punitive measures.

• Reclaiming Lost Defense Dominance Diplomatic flexibility is necessary to prevent key regional powers from drifting permanently into the defense orbits of geopolitical rivals like Russia. Denying Turkey access to the F-35 program pushes an essential ally further toward alternative security partnerships, degrading NATO's collective interoperability. By initiating a review through the Departments of State, Treasury, and Defense, the administration seeks to restore U.S. leverage and secure a major defense market.

• Rejecting Bureaucratic Inertia's Grip Effective foreign policy must be dynamic and driven by executive leadership rather than static legislative gridlock or outdated assessments. Asserting that the administration has no concerns regarding the S-400 technology allows the executive branch to break through diplomatic stalemates that freeze vital defense sales. Adapting to current geopolitical realities ensures that strategic deterrence and defense manufacturing goals are prioritized over historic grievances.

How it may affect me

As a U.S. reader:

• You may see long-term shifts in national security and the protection of military technology if the integration of Russian S-400 systems and American F-35 jets in Turkey leads to intelligence leaks regarding sensitive U.S. radar signatures.

• You could see changes in the domestic defense manufacturing sector as the U.S. government reviews and potentially opens up major foreign defense market sales for American-made F-35 fighter jets.

• You may observe a legal and political conflict between the executive branch and a bipartisan group of lawmakers over whether the administration must adhere to federal laws, such as CAATSA, that restrict arms transfers.

• You could experience shifts in international relations and regional stability depending on whether this policy successfully strengthens the NATO alliance or compromises the collective security of other global partners.

Trump Announces Plans to Lift Turkey Sanctions and Consider F-35 Sales

The BareStory

Left Perspective

Right Perspective

How it may affect me

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