Swapna Kumbar , Bengaluru - Donald Trump rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s objections to a possible U.S. sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, saying no foreign leader decides what America should sell. The dispute came as Trump signaled he may be open to restoring Turkey’s access to the advanced fighter program.

The issue traces back to Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program in 2019 after it bought Russia’s S-400 air defence system, which triggered U.S. sanctions and raised NATO security concerns. Since then, Ankara has sought to re-enter the program, while Washington has balanced strategic ties with Turkey against congressional restrictions and allied objections.

Netanyahu has argued that giving Turkey F-35s would upset the Middle East balance of power and strengthen a country he says has “aggressive aspirations.” He also urged Trump directly not to move ahead, warning that such a sale could weaken Israel’s military edge and create regional instability.

Trump, however, has framed the issue as a sovereign U.S. decision and has praised Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an important partner. That stance has widened friction with Israel, which sees the F-35 as a strategic issue rather than a normal arms sale.

The disagreement is about more than one weapons sale: it reflects a larger contest over U.S. defence policy, NATO politics and regional power balance. For now, the question is whether Trump will follow through on reopening the F-35 path for Turkey or face resistance from Congress and allies.