Marco Rubio states US law prevents Turkey's return to F-35 program

During a session of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that Turkey cannot rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program under current conditions. Rubio addressed questions from Democratic Representative Dina Titus regarding recent remarks by US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake—incorrectly referred to as Tom Barack in local reports—concerning a potential reentry. Rubio stated that Turkey's continued possession of the Russian S-400 missile system remains the primary obstacle. He explained that US law, specifically the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and provisions within the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), prohibits the government from considering Turkey's return. The Secretary of State emphasized that these legal frameworks are mandatory and leave no room for executive discretion. Consequently, the administration remains bound by these statutory restrictions.