President Donald Trump is pressing for Turkey to be allowed to buy F-35 fighter jets, despite the State Department saying Ankara has not met the legal conditions for re-entering the programme. The dispute matters because it could affect NATO relations, US sanctions policy and the military balance in the Middle East.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 programme after acquiring Russia’s S-400 air-defence system, a move that triggered US sanctions and raised security concerns about the aircraft’s technology. Trump has described relations with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as especially strong, but officials say Turkey would need to resolve the S-400 issue and meet statutory requirements before an F-35 sale could proceed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also warned about Turkey’s regional role and its support for Hamas, adding to concerns among some US lawmakers.