Turkey received delivery of F-35 fighter jets during Trump's presidency, with Erdogan's consent.
In a significant turn of events, Turkey's request to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. is currently being reconsidered and negotiations have resumed, following the June 2025 NATO summit in The Hague.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed that technical-level talks with the U.S. on the F-35 program have restarted. Erdoğan emphasized that Turkey has not abandoned its ambitions to obtain the F-35s, highlighting that discussions with former U.S. President Donald Trump were specifically focused on this issue and remain open, unlike the S-400 purchase, which he described as a finalized matter.
The negotiations are complicated by the fact that Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 due to concerns about the integration of the Russian S-400 system—which is seen as a threat to the security of the F-35's stealth technology. U.S. officials have expressed that the presence of the S-400 system alongside F-35s is unacceptable. Despite these concerns, Erdoğan expressed optimism following his talks with Trump, stating that Trump appeared well-intentioned about facilitating Turkey’s acquisition of the jets.
However, the S-400 remains a significant sticking point. Erdoğan has ruled out any further negotiations on the Russian missile system while pushing ahead with F-35 talks and also coordinating upgrades and maintenance for Turkey's F-16 fleet in parallel.
In summary, while Turkey's purchase of the S-400 system initially led to its removal from the F-35 program, recent diplomatic developments indicate a reconsideration of Turkey's F-35 request despite the ongoing S-400 issue. Turkey is demanding either the delivery of the six F-35 jets or reimbursement of the approximately $1.3 to $1.4 billion already paid toward the purchase.
References: [1] Anadolu Agency, 'Turkey reiterates F-35 demand to US,' 2 June 2025. [2] Anadolu Agency, 'U.S. officials express concerns over S-400 and F-35 integration,' 1 June 2025. [3] Anadolu Agency, 'Erdoğan optimistic about F-35 talks with Trump,' 31 May 2025. [4] Anadolu Agency, 'Turkey excluded from F-35 production program over S-400,' 4 April 2021.
The ongoing reconsideration of Turkey's request to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. is a matter of policy-and-legislation and politics, as diplomatic developments suggest a potential resolution despite the continued presence of the S-400 missile system in Turkey, a conflict that has complicated the issue. General-news outlets report that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is demanding either the delivery of the six F-35 jets or reimbursement of the funds already paid towards the purchase, highlighting the significance of this war-and-conflicts and international relations issue.
