Trump says he will 'always make' Erdogan happy on sanctions
02:04, 03/10/2026, SaturdayU: Update: 02:05, 03/10/2026, Saturday
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US President Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will "always make" Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan happy when pressed about the delay in lifting CAATSA sanctions on Ankara, referring to the Turkish leader as a personal friend while addressing defense disputes that have strained bilateral ties since the 2019 S-400 purchase.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he will "always make" Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan happy when asked about the delay in lifting sanctions on Ankara under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. Speaking to reporters when asked what was holding up the removal of the penalties, Trump stated: "I'll always speak to President Erdogan. He is a friend of mine, as you know. And I'll always make him happy." The remarks underscore ongoing efforts to navigate defense disputes that have strained bilateral ties since Ankara's acquisition of Russian military hardware.
Trump said during a meeting with Erdogan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Türkiye in July that he wanted to lift the CAATSA sanctions and would "certainly" consider allowing Ankara to purchase F-35 fighter jets. The commitment marked a potential shift in Washington's stance toward the sanctions regime imposed five years ago.
S-400 dispute and program removal
The US removed Türkiye from the F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 after Ankara acquired the Russian S-400 air defense system. Washington said the system posed a security risk to the F-35 and was incompatible with NATO systems, leading to a breakdown in military cooperation between the allies and the eventual imposition of economic penalties.
In December 2020, the US imposed CAATSA sanctions on Türkiye’s defense industry and several senior officials over the S-400 purchase. The measures included restrictions on US export licenses and financing, compounding Ankara's difficulties in modernizing its air force capabilities while operating within Western defense frameworks.
Türkiye's defense position
Türkiye says it purchased the Russian system to meet urgent air defense needs after being denied US-made Patriot missiles and has repeatedly rejected Washington’s concerns over the S-400 and F-35. Ankara continues to seek the removal of the sanctions and its return to the F-35 program, viewing both as essential to restoring full strategic partnership with Washington.