Donald Trump may approve Türkiye's return to F-35 program

U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to support the approval of the sale of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye, AzerNEWS reports, citing The New York Times.

According to the sources, Trump may discuss the issue with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an.

However, it remains unclear how the restrictions imposed by the U.S. Congress on the sale of F-35 aircraft to Türkiye could be lifted. The sources claim that the two sides may exchange official letters to begin the process of bringing Türkiye back into the F-35 program.

The report also notes that it cannot be ruled out that Trump could ultimately change his final decision.

The United States removed Türkiye from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara purchased the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Washington argued that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 could allow sensitive information about the aircraft's advanced technology and capabilities to be collected.

The F-35 is a family of fifth-generation multirole stealth fighter aircraft manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Martin.