President Donald Trump’s trip to Ankara for the NATO summit quickly became one of the most closely watched moments in recent U.S.-Turkey relations. During talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump said the United States would lift sanctions imposed on Turkey in 2020 and signaled that a possible F-35 fighter jet sale could be on the table.
The move matters because Turkey was removed from the F-35 program after buying Russia’s S-400 air defense system. That decision created years of friction between the two countries, so Trump’s comments represent a meaningful shift in tone, even though the legal and congressional obstacles remain significant.
For Turkish Americans, the development may be seen as more than a defense headline. It also reflects how Washington and Ankara continue to test whether a closer working relationship is possible inside NATO. The meeting in Ankara suggests both sides are willing to reopen conversations that had been frozen for years.
There is still a long way to go before any policy change becomes reality. But Trump’s remarks, made face to face with Erdogan, were enough to put U.S.-Turkey ties back in the spotlight and raise expectations about what comes next.
Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Reuters.
Original headline: Trump says he will lift Turkiye sanctions, decide on F-35 fighter jet sale
Original publication date: 2026-07-07
Original source: Read the original article.
Featured image credit: ATIIC.
