Erdogan Seeks F-35 Path at White House as Trump Weighs Sanctions Relief

White House talks put F-35 back on the table

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House seeking sanctions relief and a pathway back to F-35 fighter jets, after Turkey was removed from the program over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air-defense system. Reuters reports both sides see room for a workaround despite legal and congressional hurdles, with the agenda also spanning defense, trade and regional conflicts.

Background: how Turkey lost the F-35

Washington expelled Turkey from the F-35 program and blocked deliveries in 2019 following Ankara’s S-400 acquisition, citing security risks to the jet’s stealth technology. That ban remains central to the dispute Erdogan is trying to unwind in talks with Trump at the White House.

What a deal could look like

According to Reuters and parallel reporting, Ankara wants sanctions lifted and options to re-enter the F-35 supply chain or obtain aircraft under specific conditions. In parallel, Turkey has pursued 40 new F-16s and upgrades for its fleet and even explored Eurofighter Typhoons as a hedge. A separate commercial piece is a potential multi-billion-dollar order by Turkish Airlines for more than 200 Boeing jets with associated engines, underscoring the broader transactional thrust of the visit.

Signals ahead of the meeting

In the run-up to the trip, Turkey ended some retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports imposed in 2018, an overture meant to improve the tone as Erdogan seeks an F-35 opening and wider trade deals.

Congressional calculus and NATO optics

Even if Trump is open to sanctions relief, Congress remains a gatekeeper. Lawmakers previously backed Turkey’s ouster over the S-400 purchase and have pressed for assurances that Russian systems will not compromise allied assets. Any restart of F-35 interactions, aircraft, parts or training, would likely require technical safeguards, verifiable separation of Russian systems, and a legal pathway that can survive court and Hill scrutiny. AP notes the administration is “considering” lifting the ban, highlighting that internal debates and external politics still loom large.

Regional security implications

The outcome will reverberate beyond procurement. A thaw would signal tighter U.S.–Turkey defense ties inside NATO at a time when alliance cohesion is tested by wars in Syria and Gaza, and by Turkey’s balancing act with Russia and Ukraine. Conversely, failure could push Ankara further toward non-U.S. platforms, deepen industrial links with Europe or Russia, and complicate allied planning in the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea theaters.

How this could affect markets

Defense equities. Headline progress typically lifts sentiment around primary contractors tied to the F-35 ecosystem (e.g., Lockheed Martin) and commercial aerospace names if the Boeing order advances. Clear steps toward sanctions relief can also buoy European partners in the supply chain. Lack of a pathway, or signs of renewed friction, would cap gains and keep risk premia elevated for Turkey-exposed programs. (Market view derived from the deal’s structure and Reuters’ agenda details.)

Turkey assets. Constructive signals from the White House may support the lira, local sovereign bonds and Istanbul-listed defense names by reducing policy and sanctions risk; hard setbacks could produce the opposite. Turkey’s pre-visit tariff rollback was read domestically as a confidence gesture toward improved U.S. trade ties.

Energy & airlines. De-escalation in U.S.–Turkey tensions typically improves the operating backdrop for Turkish Airlines and for cross-border energy cooperation, while any aircraft order milestones would be a near-term positive for aerospace suppliers referenced in the talks.

Key sticking points

• S-400 firewall: Verifiable technical separation from the S-400 remains the cardinal ask; without it, Congress is unlikely to move.
• Legal pathway: Restoring elements of F-35 cooperation would require navigating prior statutes and sanctions authorities; lawyers will shape what’s possible.
• Alliance politics: NATO perceptions matter; allies will parse whether any carve-out preserves common security standards.

What to watch next

• Joint readouts from the White House meetings and any reference to “technical working groups” or timelines.
• Congressional reactions, especially from committees overseeing foreign affairs and defense.
• Commercial tie-ins, notably progress on the Turkish Airlines–Boeing discussion and any follow-on F-16 package.