Trump Praises Erdogan at NATO Summit, Withholds Commitment on F-35 Jets

President Donald Trump offered warm words for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the two leaders crossed paths at the NATO summit, but notably avoided making any public commitment on the issue Erdogan has been pushing hardest for: Turkey’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program.
Ankara was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing Russia’s S-400 missile defense system, a move Washington said posed a security risk to the stealth aircraft’s technology. Erdogan has since repeatedly sought to have Turkey reinstated, framing it as essential to modernizing the Turkish air force.
While Trump’s praise signaled friendly personal rapport between the two leaders, his silence on the F-35 question suggests the underlying dispute — rooted in NATO security concerns over the S-400 — remains unresolved for now.