NextFin news, Four Greek-American members of the U.S. Congress—Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-Florida), Nicole Malliotakis (R-New York), Chris Pappas (D-New Hampshire), and Dina Titus (D-Nevada)—issued a joint statement on Thursday, September 25, 2025, warning against the sale of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. They urged President Donald Trump to maintain Turkey's exclusion from these programs, emphasizing the national security risks involved.
The lawmakers highlighted that Turkey's potential reentry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program would violate U.S. law, specifically the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), due to Turkey's acquisition and continued possession of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system. They stated that Turkey's military collaboration with Russia undermines the security of sensitive U.S. defense technology and threatens the strategic integrity of NATO alliances.
In their statement, the lawmakers said, "Rewarding [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan's government without meaningful changes in behavior would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of U.S. foreign policy." They called for upholding CAATSA sanctions as a necessary step to protect American defense assets and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to accountability and the rule of law in international relations.
The warning came ahead of a scheduled meeting between President Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday, September 25, 2025. Erdogan is expected to press for Turkey's reentry into the F-35 program and for the sale of additional F-16s.
The American Hellenic Institute (AHI), representing Greek-American interests, also sent a letter to President Trump urging a firm stance against new weapons sales to Turkey, including F-16 and F-35 fighters. AHI President Nick Larigakis emphasized the need for a clear U.S. response to Turkey's violations of international law and destabilizing actions in the region.
Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the S-400 system from Russia, which is incompatible with the F-35 and poses a risk of exposing U.S. military technology to Russian intelligence. Despite this, Turkey has sought to rejoin the program and acquire new fighter jets, raising concerns among U.S. lawmakers and NATO allies.
The issue remains contentious as Turkey continues to maintain its S-400 batteries while seeking access to advanced U.S. military aircraft, complicating U.S.-Turkey relations and NATO security cooperation.
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