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Trump signals Turkey’s return to F-35 program ahead of July 7 NATO summit

Trump signals Turkey’s return to F-35 program ahead of July 7 NATO summit

Trump said he would lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey and hinted at restoring F-35 access, though legal and congressional hurdles remain before either step can take effect.

Fact Check
Two independent primary news sources (Al Jazeera and Fortune), both dated July 7, 2026, confirm the central claim: Trump said he will lift sanctions on Turkey over the S-400 purchase and would consider/soon decide on resuming F-35 sales, tied to the NATO summit in Ankara. Both sources reference the CAATSA/S-400 context and note opposition (Netanyahu), while Al Jazeera adds a potential congressional pathway (Senator Graham), aligning with the claim's mention of legal and congressional resistance.
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Summary

President Donald Trump said he would lift CAATSA sanctions on Turkey and suggested Ankara could regain access to the F-35 fighter jet program, pointing to a potential reset in U.S.-Turkey defense ties during his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The sanctions were imposed on December 14, 2020, after Turkey bought Russia’s S-400 air defense system, making it the first NATO ally penalized under the law. The measures targeted Turkey’s Presidency of Defense Industries and its chief, Dr. Ismail Demir, with export bans, asset freezes and visa restrictions, and Turkey was removed from the F-35 consortium, losing both its manufacturing role and its jet order. Trump’s remark that “We’re going to be taking the sanctions off” is still a statement of intent rather than a formal order, and any reversal would need to navigate CAATSA requirements and likely scrutiny from Congress, especially since the S-400 system remains in Turkey. The move could ease constraints on Turkey’s access to U.S. defense technology and financial channels used by Western institutions, although no specific crypto market reaction or token impact was reported.

Terms & Concepts
  • CAATSA sanctions: U.S. penalties imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, in this case over Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
  • F-35 consortium: The international industrial and procurement arrangement around the F-35 fighter jet program, from which Turkey was removed after acquiring the S-400.
  • S-400 air defense system: A Russian-made missile defense platform whose purchase by Turkey triggered U.S. sanctions and its expulsion from the F-35 program.