Opposition in US Congress to F-35 aircraft sales to Turkey

US President Donald Trump faces significant legislative resistance regarding the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets and engines to Turkey. The primary obstacle remains the Turkish government's possession of the Russian S-400 missile system, which violates US law, specifically Section 1245 of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. While President Trump has expressed intent to remove obstacles to the sale, critics such as Representative Mike Lawler argue that Turkey's regional aggression and military cooperation with US adversaries preclude such cooperation. Furthermore, bipartisan efforts in Congress, including opposition from Representative Gregory Meeks, seek to block the transfer of both aircraft and jet engines for the KAAN program. The Israeli government, through Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has also actively engaged the pro-Israel lobby to pressure the White House against the deal. Analysts note that reversing existing legislative restrictions would require written confirmation from US officials that Turkey has relinquished the S-400, a condition current cabinet appointees like Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth are deemed unlikely to fulfill. President Trump currently appears to lack the necessary support in Congress to override these legal constraints.