July 6 - U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to inform Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is prepared to allow Turkey to re-enter the F-35 stealth fighter program, the New York Times reported, citing four senior administration officials.
The report, issued as President Trump travels to Ankara to attend a NATO summit where a meeting with Erdogan is anticipated, says administration officials are not united on the precise approach the president would use to navigate existing congressional and legal constraints. One option discussed by the officials is an exchange of letters between the two leaders addressing the matter.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.
Turkey's 2019 acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system has been a central element in the deterioration of U.S.-Turkey relations and a key factor in loss of congressional support for Ankara. In reaction to the purchase, Washington imposed sanctions and removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.
Congress also enacted a law that bars any sale of F-35 aircraft to Turkey while Ankara remains in possession of the S-400 systems, citing the Russian equipment as a potential threat to the security of U.S.-made combat aircraft.
The S-400 dispute has continued to dominate bilateral tensions even as the Trump administration has pursued warmer ties with Turkey. The reported potential move to restore Ankara's access to the F-35 program is being read by some officials as a sign of improving relations between Washington and Ankara.
That dynamic follows a recent formal notification from the administration to Congress indicating an intention to sell dozens of jet engines to Turkey, with the transaction valued at more than $700 million, according to a copy of the formal notification.
Officials cited in the report differed on how the administration might proceed in the face of legal and congressional limits, and they described the exchange of letters as one possible procedural vehicle rather than laying out a single definitive course of action.
For now, the dispute over the S-400s, the existing congressional prohibition on F-35 sales to Turkey while it retains the Russian systems, and the separate actions taken by the administration - including sanctions and the engine sale notification - remain the core factual elements shaping the issue.
Contextual note - The reported discussions and any potential diplomatic steps are unfolding as high-level meetings at the NATO summit approach, with officials signaling differing views within the administration on how to reconcile the president's stated readiness with statutory and procedural constraints.