Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) sharply criticized the Trump administration’s decision to move forward with a major jet engine sale to Turkey, warning against any broader return of Turkey to the F-35 program. “We cannot reward Erdogan’s government while it continues to violate U.S. law and threaten our reliable, democratic allies,” Pappas wrote on social media. “Absolutely no F-35s to Turkey.”
What the Administration Notified Congress Of
The Trump administration formally notified Congress on June 24 of its intention to sell dozens of jet engines worth more than $700 million to Turkey, according to a copy of the notification reviewed by Reuters. “The U.S. government is prepared to license the export of these items having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations,” the State Department wrote in the notification. The engines, manufactured by General Electric, are intended to power Turkey’s first indigenous combat jet, the KAAN, a program Ankara launched in 2016 as part of a broader push toward greater self-sufficiency in its defense industry.
Why Turkey Was Removed From the F-35 Program
Turkey’s relationship with the F-35 program has been frozen since 2019, when the country purchased Russian S-400 air defense systems despite American objections. The acquisition prompted the U.S. to impose sanctions on Turkey and remove it from the F-35 program entirely. Congress subsequently passed a law prohibiting any F-35 sales to Turkey as long as it retains the S-400 systems, citing the security risk the Russian systems could pose to American-made combat aircraft if the two were operated in proximity to one another. Turkey still possesses the S-400 systems today, and that unresolved issue remains the central legal obstacle to any renewed F-35 access.
Congressional Objections to the Engine Sale
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, objected to the engine sale during an informal congressional review process that preceded the administration’s formal notification. In a statement published on the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s website, Meeks said, “Late yesterday, the administration informed me that it would once again bypass congressional review in supplying more than $700 million in defense equipment to the Turkish military.” Meeks added, “These items will not be delivered for years, and the administration repeatedly ignored persistent requests for information and clarification on key aspects of U.S. policy.”
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.) signaled she would take formal legislative action if the administration proceeds further. “If POTUS continues down this path, I will introduce a joint resolution of disapproval,” Titus wrote on social media, referring to the broader question of F-35 sales to Turkey. Under the Arms Export Control Act, Congress has a 15-day window after formal notification to introduce a joint resolution of disapproval, though such a resolution would need to pass both chambers and could still be vetoed by the president.
The Administration’s Response to the Bypass Allegation
A Trump administration official disputed the characterization that Congress had been bypassed, speaking to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity. “The administration is always in a maximally transparent relationship with Congress,” the official said. “In addition to regular communication with Congress, Ambassador Tom Barrack, War Department officials and State Department officials also personally briefed Congress on this matter.”
Trump’s Comments on a Possible F-35 Return
Trump addressed the broader question of Turkey’s standing in the F-35 program directly while meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House. Asked whether he was traveling to Turkey “with a big gift bag” regarding the engines and the F-35 program, Trump said, “Look, he’s a member of NATO. Some people don’t consider himself a NATO member, but he really is. He’s a strong member of NATO. Yeah, I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy.”
Vice President JD Vance, speaking alongside Trump, said a formal review of Turkey’s eligibility was already underway. Vance said, “Pete and the entire team are reviewing this right now, because there are certain things that we have to certify have happened… in order to comply with American law. The president has asked us to do that,” referring to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Strategic Context Ahead of the NATO Summit
The engine sale is widely viewed as a diplomatic gesture toward Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead of a NATO summit scheduled to take place in Ankara the following month. The timing has added to the sense among critics that the administration is prioritizing the relationship with Erdogan over a strict application of existing sanctions law. Turkey’s desire for the F-35 specifically has been sharpened by the fact that Greece, its longtime regional rival, has already been approved to purchase the aircraft, a contrast Turkish officials have cited as a point of frustration in defense planning circles.
Turkey’s Broader Fighter Jet Strategy
While the KAAN program remains years away from fully replacing the F-16s that currently form the backbone of Turkey’s air force, the country has pursued multiple parallel paths to modernize its fleet. Turkey signed a deal for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets the previous October, and has separately invested heavily in unmanned systems, including the ANKA-3 stealth drone and the fighter-like Bayraktar Kizilelma, though these are generally viewed as complements to crewed fighters like the KAAN rather than substitutes for them.
Pappas has a long-standing record of opposing arms transfers to Turkey, frequently working alongside the Congressional Hellenic Caucus on issues related to Turkish military activity in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, as well as concerns about Ankara’s treatment of political dissidents and its broader regional posture toward Greece and Cyprus.
What Happens Next
With the 15-day congressional review window now running from the June 24 notification, attention has turned to whether Meeks, Titus, Pappas, or other critics in Congress will attempt to force a joint resolution of disapproval before the window closes. Even if such a resolution were introduced and passed both chambers, it would still be subject to a presidential veto, leaving the engine sale on track to proceed unless Congress can assemble a veto-proof majority against it — an outcome that has not historically been achieved on major arms sales of this kind.