Trump pushes F-35 sale to Turkey, but his own State Department says Erdoğan hasn't met legal requirements

By Fox News · Fox News

President Donald Trump has opened the door to selling Turkey the U.S.' prized F-35 fighter jet, praising Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and promising to remove sanctions imposed over Ankara’s purchase of a Russian missile defense system. But a State Department letter to Congress makes clear that Turkey has not taken the steps legally required to receive the advanced fighter. "Turkey has not yet met these conditions," the department said in the July 22 letter, first obtained by the Greek newspaper Kathimerini. TRUMP COULD HAND PRIZED STEALTH JETS TO NATO ALLY ONCE SEEN AS ALLIANCE HEADACHE The letter said U.S. law prohibits the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey until Ankara no longer possesses the Russian-made S-400 system or associated equipment, promises not to acquire it again and satisfies the remaining certification requirements established by Congress. The finding came weeks after Trump stood alongside Erdoğan at the NATO summit in Ankara and said his administration would lift sanctions on Turkey and consider selling it the aircraft. Asked about Turkey’s continued possession of the S-400, Trump said, "I have no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey." Trump described relations with Ankara as "better probably than it’s ever been," said Turkey had been "much more loyal" than some other countries and called a potential F-35 sale "certainly something we will consider." Erdoğan said Turkey previously has been promised five aircraft and expressed confidence in Trump. "I know that Mr. Trump always keeps his promises," Erdoğan said, according to Reuters. The dispute matters far beyond a single weapons sale. Turkey is a pivotal NATO ally controlling access between Europe and the Middle East , but its ties to Russia and Hamas have fueled doubts in Washington about whether Ankara can be trusted with America’s most sensitive military technology. The outcome will test whether Trump’s personal relationship with Erdoğan can bring Turkey back into the West…