Trump backs F-35 sale to Turkey as State Department letter says legal bar is unmet

A July 22 State Department letter to Congress, first reported by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, states flatly that Turkey has not met the legal conditions required to receive F-35 fighter jets. The finding cuts directly against President Donald Trump's signal at the NATO summit in Ankara that his administration would lift sanctions on Turkey and consider the sale. U.S. law bars the transfer until Ankara surrenders the Russian S-400 missile defense system it purchased in 2019, commits not to reacquire it, and clears the remaining congressional certification requirements.

The legal mechanism blocking the deal

Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after buying Russia's S-400 air defense system. The United States imposed sanctions the following year under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The State Department's July 22 letter restated those barriers plainly: Turkey must no longer possess the S-400 or its associated equipment, commit not to acquire it again, and satisfy the remaining requirements Congress established.

Trump, at the Ankara summit, said he had "no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey" when asked about the S-400, described bilateral relations as "better probably than it's ever been," and called a possible sale "certainly something we will consider." Erdoğan, through Reuters, said Turkey had previously been promised five aircraft and expressed confidence that Trump "always keeps his promises."

The S-400 transfer question

A third-country transfer of the S-400 has emerged as one potential path out. James Jeffrey, former U.S. ambassador to Turkey and now a fellow at The Washington Institute, told Fox News Digital that such a transfer would satisfy the legal and technical requirement and that the law does not specify exactly how Turkey must divest. Reports have pointed to the United Arab Emirates as a possible recipient, though Sinan Ciddi of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies noted there is no confirmation Abu Dhabi would accept the system. The UAE would also have to weigh whether taking the Russian equipment could trigger U.S. sanctions against it or block access to American weapons. Russia could object to any transfer without Moscow's prior approval.

What to watch: Congress, Israel, and the Hamas financing flag

Ciddi pushed back on the idea that resolving the S-400 dispute clears the path. "The S-400 issue that led to Turkey's removal from the F-35 program is the floor, not the ceiling," he said, citing Ankara's relationship with Hamas, continued ties with Russia, use of Chinese telecommunications technology, and tensions with U.S. partners Greece, Cyprus, and Israel.

A bipartisan group of 18 House members has already urged congressional leaders to block any sale under current conditions. Israel reportedly pressed Trump against the deal, concerned about its own military edge as tensions with Erdoğan deepen. The same State Department letter that declared Turkey legally ineligible also warned that Hamas continues to use "informal financial networks and unlicensed exchange houses in Turkey to access funds." The letter credited Ankara with helping advance Trump's Gaza peace plan in the same document that documented the financing concern. That contradiction is the tape to watch, not the summit handshake.