Trump Praises Türkiye’s Military, Teases F-35 Deal Ahead of NATO Summit

U.S. President Donald Trump strongly praised Türkiye’s military power and his close friendship with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a White House meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. While confirming his attendance at the upcoming 42-nation NATO summit in Ankara solely out of respect for Erdoğan, Trump sharply criticized several European allies for failing to support the U.S. during its recent conflict with Iran. Rutte commended Trump’s policies for neutralizing Iran’s nuclear threat and noted that the Ankara summit will heavily focus on boosting allied defense production. Hinting at a major breakthrough, Trump teased a potential “gift package” involving F-35 fighter jets that would make Türkiye “very happy,” an agreement Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed is currently under legal review.