President Trump has reignited the debate over selling advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, but his administration's own State Department has made clear that Ankara still fails to meet the legal conditions required for such a transfer. The tension between Trump's personal diplomacy with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the strict national security requirements set by Congress is now playing out in official letters, expert analysis, and high-stakes negotiations.
F-35 Sale Faces Legal Barrier
The F-35 program is the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history, and selling it to a NATO ally that has troubled relations with Washington carries both strategic benefits and significant risks. Trump, who has repeatedly praised Erdoğan, appears willing to take that risk. Yet the law remains a barrier.
The July 22 State Department letter, first reported by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, clarified the legal position. "Turkey has not yet met these conditions," the department wrote. The letter explained that U.S. law forbids transferring F-35 aircraft to Turkey until Ankara no longer possesses the Russian-made S-400 air defense system or associated equipment, commits to not acquiring it again, and satisfies the remaining certification requirements established by Congress.
Turkey's Removal and the S-400
These conditions are steep. Turkey has operated the S-400 since 2019, when it was delivered under a controversial contract with Russia. The decision to purchase the system led to Turkey's removal from the F-35 development program that same year. The following year, the United States imposed sanctions on Turkey's defense procurement agency under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Ankara was also blocked from receiving any F-35 aircraft it had already ordered.
The legal framework now prevents any transfer unless Turkey can demonstrate it has fully rid itself of the Russian system. This is not just a technicality; it reflects genuine national security concerns. American officials have repeatedly argued that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 could allow Russian sensors to collect data on the stealth aircraft's radar signature and other sensitive operational characteristics. That
Source:MSN News