Speaking at a joint press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, Trump said the United States and Türkiye enjoy an excellent relationship and are committed to expanding cooperation in trade and defense.
Referring to the proposed sale of F-35 fighter jets, Trump said the matter is under consideration and that a decision would be made soon.
"Many people think we should move forward with it because Türkiye has been a loyal ally," he said.
The U.S. president added that he would discuss trade, defense, and regional security with Erdoğan. Praising the Turkish leader, Trump described him as a statesman respected around the world and said Türkiye has become a militarily powerful country under his leadership.
Trump also announced that his administration would remove sanctions imposed on Türkiye under the Countering America s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The sanctions were imposed in 2020 after Ankara purchased the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.
As a result of that decision, Türkiye was also removed from the F-35 fighter jet program—a move Ankara has consistently described as unfair and unlawful.
The U.S. president also criticized NATO allies, saying they failed to support Washington during its military action against Iran.
"We took action on Iran, but NATO countries had already said they would not be there for us. Why should America spend hundreds of billions of dollars when they are not standing with us?" Trump said.
On the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump expressed hope that the conflict would end soon, saying both Moscow and Kyiv appear willing to reach an agreement.
He also praised Türkiye s role in regional diplomacy, saying Ankara understands Iran well and has played an important part in reducing tensions in the Middle East.
According to Trump, Türkiye could have become directly involved in the Iran-Israel conflict but chose not to do so.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Türkiye is making every effort to help bring the United States and Iran back to the negotiating table and that friendly nations are working together to strengthen global peace.
Commenting on the situation in Gaza, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue its efforts to restore peace in the region and expressed hope that the NATO Summit would produce positive outcomes.
Trump on Greenland: "That s what hurt my relationship with NATO. Because Greenland doesn t help Denmark. Denmark doesn t spend money to really help Greenland, but it s an important part for the United States. And it s surrounded by China ships and Russian ships. Greenland should… pic.twitter.com/MdvZPdGrEn
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 7, 2026
Addressing the F-35 issue, Erdoğan said the matter is not new and has been discussed repeatedly with Washington.
He noted that the United States had previously promised to deliver five F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye and expressed hope that a favorable decision would emerge from the summit.
Trump also said the United States maintains strong trade relations with many countries, with Türkiye being among its key partners.
"We have a great trade relationship with many countries, and Türkiye is one of them. It s a chemistry that works between us," he said.
During the press conference, Trump was also asked about Greenland. He reiterated that Greenland should be under U.S. control rather than Denmark s, citing American strategic and national security interests.
He further said that, if necessary, the United States could withdraw all of its troops from Europe, arguing that Washington should reassess its military commitments if NATO allies fail to support the U.S. during major security challenges.
