Trump's Push to Sell F-35s to Turkey: Status, Legal Hurdles, and Netanyahu's Opposition

President Donald Trump has signaled a dramatic reversal of U.S. policy by pushing to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, a NATO ally that was removed from the program in 2019 after purchasing Russia's S-400 air defense system. The move has drawn sharp public opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and faces a major legal barrier: Turkey still possesses the S-400, and U.S. law prohibits the transfer until it is removed. Here is a fact-checked breakdown of the current status, based on multiple government and news sources.

Background: Turkey's 2019 removal from the F-35 program

Turkey was a founding partner and industrial participant in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. In July 2019, after Ankara began taking delivery of the Russian S-400 air defense system, the United States formally "unwound" Turkey from the program. The Pentagon stated that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 could allow Russia to obtain sensitive stealth technology . Congress later codified the ban in the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act, barring transfer of F-35s to Turkey as long as it retains the S-400 .

Trump's push to reverse the ban and the July 2026 NATO summit

At the July 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, President Trump signaled he was leaning toward allowing Turkey back into the F-35 program. During a joint appearance with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump said he would lift CAATSA sanctions imposed on Turkey over the S-400 purchase, declaring, "We're going to be taking the sanctions off... We don't want to sanction friends" . Multiple outlets reported that Trump's shift was driven by his view of Turkey as a more reliable NATO partner than some traditional European allies .

Netanyahu's public opposition and warning

Hours after Trump signaled openness to the sale, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN he opposed it, warning the deal would "destroy the balance of power in the Middle East" and saying, "I don't believe they should receive F-35s or engines" . Israel, the only country in the region with F-35s, views the stealth jet as its core qualitative military edge.

Trump's anger at Netanyahu and "nobody tells me" remark

Trump reacted sharply to Netanyahu's public criticism. According to an Axios report citing two White House officials, Trump was "pissed off" and believed Netanyahu had "no right" to comment on the deal . On July 27, Trump told reporters, "Nobody tells me what we should be selling," directly dismissing Netanyahu's objections . The dispute escalated further when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled a scheduled meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the F-35 matter .

Broader U.S.-Israel tensions

The F-35 dispute is part of wider strains between Trump and Netanyahu over Iran policy and other strategic differences. Israeli media reported friction between the two leaders beyond the F-35 question, though specific details on Iran disagreements were less detailed in the sourced reporting.

The big legal obstacle: S-400 still in Turkey's possession

Despite Trump's political support for the sale, a major legal barrier remains. U.S. law — specifically the CAATSA statute and the NDAA provision authored by Sen. James Lankford — prohibits F-35 transfers to Turkey unless Ankara removes its S-400 system and related equipment and commits not to acquire similar Russian systems in the future . As of mid-2026, Turkey still possesses the S-400, though the WSJ reported that Ankara is exploring options to offload the system to clear the path for F-35s .

State Department letter to Congress (July 22, 2026)

On July 22, 2026, the State Department's Bureau of Legislative Affairs sent a letter to Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) stating that Turkey "has not yet met the conditions" required by law to rejoin the F-35 program . The letter explicitly reaffirmed that the statutory requirements — including removal of the S-400 and full compliance with CAATSA — remain unchanged . This formal determination means that even if the President wanted to proceed immediately, the executive branch itself has acknowledged that Turkey does not currently satisfy the legal prerequisites for the sale.

Summary of current status

Element	Status
Trump's political position	Publicly supports lifting sanctions and selling F-35s to Turkey
CAATSA sanctions	Trump announced they would be lifted (July 7, 2026)
S-400 in Turkey's possession	Still present; no confirmed removal as of late July 2026
Statutory ban on F-35 transfer	Still in force; codified in FY20 NDAA
State Dept. assessment (July 22)	Turkey "has not yet met" legal requirements for reentry
Netanyahu's opposition	Publicly stated; deal would "destroy the balance of power"
Trump-Netanyahu friction	Confirmed; Trump angered by Netanyahu's public criticism

The bottom line: Trump has signaled strong political will to restore Turkey's access to the F-35 and has moved to lift CAATSA sanctions, but Turkey's continued possession of the S-400 system remains the decisive legal obstacle. The State Department's July 22 letter to Congress formally confirms that Ankara does not currently meet the statutory conditions to rejoin the program, and Congress has shown bipartisan resistance to waiving those requirements . No F-35 transfer can occur unless Turkey either removes the S-400 or Congress amends the law.