Turkey’s Cooperation with Russia and China Is a Major Reason It Shouldn’t Receive the F-35 Jet
US President Donald Trump and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shake hands as they meet at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque President Trump departed the NATO Summit…
Assessment
Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 program remains unresolved after the NATO Summit, defying expectations President Trump might lift sanctions. The core tension is Turkey's deepening military and strategic alignment with Russia and China, which the US sees as incompatible with access to its most sensitive jet technology. The next signal to watch is whether Trump reconsiders or the decision solidifies a new baseline in US-Turkey relations.