President Donald Trump is considering lifting sanctions on Turkey and advancing the sale of F-16 fighter jets following a recent phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to two sources cited by Fox News Digital.
Trump also indicated he is open to revisiting Turkey’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet program, contingent on Ankara disabling its Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
During the call, Trump reportedly expressed his intent to finalize the $23 billion sale of 40 F-16 fighter jets along with modernization kits for 79 existing Turkish aircraft. The sale, previously approved by Congress, has yet to be finalized.
Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the Russian S-400 system, which the U.S. said could compromise NATO security and expose F-35 capabilities to Russian surveillance. The White House previously stated that “the F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform.”
Sources told Fox News that one option under discussion involves partially disassembling Turkey’s S-400 systems or relocating them to a U.S.-controlled base within Turkey to mitigate security concerns.
Trump’s advisers have reportedly sought legal and technical guidance to ensure such a move would not violate the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which currently restricts arms sales to countries operating Russian military equipment.
According to a readout from Erdogan’s office, the Turkish president urged Trump to end CAATSA sanctions on Turkey, finalize the F-16 deal, and reinstate Turkey’s role in the F-35 program. Erdogan is expected to visit the White House in the coming weeks to further discuss these matters.
Turkey’s involvement in the F-35 program remains contentious. Regional U.S. allies such as Israel and Greece have voiced concerns over Turkey’s security posture, referencing Ankara’s past and present support for groups including Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as its diplomatic tensions with Israel over the Gaza conflict.
