President Trump suggested he is prepared to offer Turkey a path back into the F-35 fighter jet program, a gesture toward a NATO ally he has cultivated, as he travels to Ankara for the alliance's summit and a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

What Trump said

Asked by reporters whether he was bringing Erdogan a "gift bag" that might include F-35 jets and F110 engines, Trump replied, "Yes, I think so," and added that he was "probably going to do something that is going to make him very happy," Ynetnews reported. He is due to attend the July 7-8 summit at Erdogan's invitation, and has said the Turkish leader is a key reason he is going, Fox News reported.

The comments stopped short of a formal commitment, and no agreement has been announced. But they signaled a warmer posture than Washington has taken toward the issue for years.

Why Turkey was removed

The United States expelled Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara bought the Russian-made S-400 air-defense system. American officials warned that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 could let Moscow gather intelligence on the jet's stealth capabilities, Daily News Egypt reported. The dispute also brought U.S. sanctions and has strained ties between the two allies ever since.

The core problem remains unresolved: Turkey still has the S-400, and it is not clear what, if anything, would change that.

Opposition at home and abroad

Any move to sell F-35s to Turkey would meet resistance. There is bipartisan opposition in Congress to providing the jets while Ankara keeps the Russian system, and beyond Israel, Greece has also objected, Ynetnews reported. Ahead of Trump's trip, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Turkey should not receive the jets, The Times of Israel reported.

Vice President JD Vance has said the administration is exploring ways to sell the aircraft to Turkey while ensuring any sale complies with U.S. law, a nod to the legal and political hurdles that a deal would have to clear.

Stakes for the alliance

Turkey controls access to the Black Sea and anchors NATO's southeastern flank, and its estrangement over the F-35 has been a persistent irritant within the alliance. Bringing it back into the program could knit the relationship closer at a moment when NATO is pressing members to spend more and to show unity. Whether Trump's warm words in Ankara translate into an actual deal, and how Washington would square one with the unresolved S-400 problem, are the questions his meeting with Erdogan leaves open.