US President Donald Trump dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Trump stated, "Nobody tells me what we should be selling," and described Turkey as a "tremendous ally."
Trump called Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a "friend" who did a "very good job" in Syria, but acknowledged that Ankara is "not a big fan" of Israel or Netanyahu. He noted a "small disagreement" between the two NATO allies but emphasized they are "quite close."
Turkey was suspended from the F-35 program after purchasing Russia's S-400 missile defense system.
Trump confirmed that at the July NATO summit in Turkey, he said he would "certainly consider" restoring F-35 sales to Ankara. He added that sanctions against Turkey would be lifted, referencing a previous NATO summit in Ankara. Turkey has repeatedly claimed that the S-400 and F-35 systems are compatible and proposed a commission to study the issue.
Trump's remarks confirmed earlier media reports that he maintained a firm stance regarding Netanyahu's public criticism of the proposed F-35 sale.
On Iran, Trump said negotiations are progressing positively with a high chance of a good deal, but warned that if talks fail, the US would return to strong military action. He denied reports of a US ammunition shortage, criticizing former President Joe Biden for sending too many weapons to Ukraine, and said Biden sent unprecedented amounts of ammunition.