JAKARTA - US President Donald Trump on Monday dismissed reports of Israel's rejection of a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, praising Ankara as an "incredible ally" and insisting that no country would dictate US arms sales ahead of his scheduled meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Responding to a question about Israel's reported objections to a possible F-35 deal with Turkey, President Trump rejected the notion that outside actors could influence U.S. defense sales.
"Turkey has been an incredible ally," President Trump said, as reported by Daily Sabah (28/7).
"No one tells me what we should sell or not sell," he said.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on the way from Washington to Michigan, President Trump also described President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as a friend and reiterated that decisions on US arms sales would be made entirely by Washington.
He acknowledged the well-known differences between Turkey and Israel, but stressed that Turkey remains a strong country with a formidable military, describing its armed forces as one of the strongest in the region and well-equipped.
President Trump described President Erdoğan as a friend and reiterated that no one will dictate US arms sales policies.
While acknowledging the long-standing tensions between Turkey and Israel and noting Ankara's strained relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Trump emphasized that Turkey has been a valuable ally for the United States.
He also highlighted the country's military strength, describing Turkey as a powerful country with one of the largest and most well-equipped armed forces in the region.
It is known that President Trump signaled that Washington was ready to lift sanctions against Turkey and was open to selling F-35 fighter jets to Ankara, while attending the NATO summit in Turkey recently.
The prospect triggered public criticism from PM Netanyahu, with Axios later reporting President Trump was angry at the remarks, citing a White House official who said the US President believed Netanyahu "had no right" to interfere in American arms sales decisions.
It is known that Turkey was removed from the F-35 multinational program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system, which triggered US sanctions despite Ankara's role as a production partner in the fighter jet program.
President Erdoğan described the expenditure as unfair, arguing that restoring Ankara's participation would strengthen NATO's collective security.
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