Trump finalizes sale of F-35s to Turkey: You didn't join the war in Iran... thanks to me

US President Donald Trump said he harbors no concerns about Turkey acquiring US F-35 fighter jets, emphasizing that relations “have now become better.”

During his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara on Tuesday, Trump announced that he attended the summit because it was held in Turkey, “out of respect for President Erdogan,” describing Turkey as a “great ally” of the United States.

He added that he has the ability to lift sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) imposed on Ankara.

Trump praised Turkey’s role during the war with Iran, stating that Ankara was a “wonderful partner” and provided crucial support to the United States, playing a pivotal role alongside other countries to help end the military operation and prevent Tehran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, noting that Erdogan does not want to see Iran possess nuclear weapons.

He added that “despite having a large military force, Turkey did not engage in the war,” and described it as “one of the most traditional countries in providing assistance” to Washington.

Meanwhile, the US president continued to level sharp criticism at NATO, saying he “felt frustrated by the alliance’s performance during the war with Iran” and that he “was testing the allies during that war.”

Trump revealed that he had “very good talks” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing his belief that “something positive will happen soon” regarding the war in Ukraine, and affirming that both Moscow and Kyiv wish to reach an agreement and settle the conflict.

He stressed that his country intends to lift some sanctions and that it “will not impose sanctions on friends.”

Trump also touched upon Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, describing her as an “excellent person,” but said she “refused to support the United States regarding intervention related to the Strait of Hormuz and engagement in a confrontation with Iran,” which affected the nature of their relationship.

Nevertheless, he indicated that he did not exert significant pressure on her, but was not pleased with her stance, noting that the United States possesses vast oil resources, especially when Venezuela’s production is taken into account.

The US president renewed his push for the “necessity of the United States controlling Greenland,” while simultaneously considering that his country does not need the Strait of Hormuz thanks to its vast oil resources.