Trump was also upbeat about the possible sale of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Türkiye even as he did not say how exactly such a transaction would take place given the legal hurdles.
“Türkiye has been, in many ways, much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal … It’s a great plane, it’s the best, currently the best plane by far. And it’s certainly something we will consider,” Trump said.
Congress passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Türkiye as long as Ankara retained the S-400s, saying the Russian system posed a security risk to US-made combat aircraft. Currently, US law does not permit Türkiye to operate or possess the S-400 system if it wishes to rejoin the F-35 programme.
Earlier, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters that Trump was expected to throw his support behind a potential F-35 sale to Türkiye. One solution that has in recent weeks gained traction is to send the Russian system to a third country, although an agreement on this has yet to be sealed, according to the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
It was unclear if such a move would be accepted by Russia, which requires end-user obligations in weapons sales.
Trump’s visit to Türkiye is the first by a US president in 11 years. He was welcomed by Erdogan with a lavish state ceremony and both leaders sang each other’s praises in their public remarks. Under Trump, Türkiye’s deteriorating human rights track record has never been a topic of much concern for Washington.