Turkey still does not meet the legal requirements to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program, the US State Department said in a letter to Congress obtained by The Jerusalem Post.
The July 22 letter, sent by the State Department’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs on behalf of US President Donald Trump in response to a letter from Rep. Wesley Bell (D-Missouri), reiterated that Washington’s policy toward Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program remains unchanged and is fully consistent with the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and Section 1245 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act.
According to the letter, no F-35 aircraft can be transferred to Turkey until Ankara fully complies with US law. That includes resolving the dispute over its acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system by no longer possessing the system or any related equipment, providing assurances that it will not acquire the system again, and meeting all remaining statutory certification requirements.
“Turkey has not yet met these conditions,” the State Department wrote. The department added that any process aimed at resolving the S-400 issue must be “transparent, lawful, and consistent with our national security interests.”
Referring to President Trump’s recent bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, the letter said Washington will continue to engage with Ankara to resolve the S-400 issue while also strengthening NATO cooperation.
The letter described the broader US-Turkey relationship as one based on shared security interests and balanced bilateral trade, while stressing that Washington will continue engaging Turkey on areas of mutual interest “while holding Turkey accountable when its actions undermine US interests.”
The letter credits Turkey for its diplomatic support with Russia-Ukraine, Azerbaijan-Armenia, and Gaza
It also credits Ankara with supporting several US diplomatic initiatives, including efforts involving Russia and Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and Gaza, as well as counter-ISIS and broader regional counterterrorism operations.
While acknowledging Washington’s longstanding concerns over Turkey’s relationship with Hamas, the State Department says Ankara played “a pivotal role” in advancing President Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
According to the letter, Turkey used its ties with Hamas’s political leadership to help secure acceptance of the plan and advance the first phase of the ceasefire, later becoming a founding member of the Board of Peace. The letter also says Turkey continues contributing to regional stability, including in Syria.
Hamas' financial relationship with Turkey is still a concern for Washington
At the same time, the State Department emphasized that the United States continues to sanction Hamas-related entities, including sham charities that funnel money to the group’s military wing.
It warned that Hamas’s use of informal financial networks and unlicensed exchange houses in Turkey “remains a concern” and says Washington is committed to disrupting those illicit financing streams.
The letter concluded by reaffirming the department’s commitment to continue working closely with Congress on developments related to US-Turkey relations, the F-35 program, and broader regional security issues.