Overview

• U.S. officials drafted a statement of intent for sales to Turkey that includes new F-16s and upgrades but excludes F-35s due to existing legal restrictions.
• Trump has signaled optimism on social media about the talks, saying he expects F-35 discussions to conclude positively, though no legal pathway has been outlined.
• The meeting features parallel trade talks, including a prospective Turkish Airlines purchase of more than 200 Boeing jets and roughly $10 billion in GE engines.
• Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defenses, and Ankara says it has already paid about $1.4 billion toward prior orders.
• Erdogan’s sharp criticism of Israel over Gaza underscores political friction that could complicate otherwise transactional negotiations on defense and trade.