President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the potential sale of U.S. F-35 fighter jets to Turkey during a phone call this week.

The disagreement highlights a strategic rift between the U.S. and Israel regarding Turkey's role in regional security. While the U.S. considers the sale a tool for diplomatic leverage, Israel views the transfer of advanced military technology to Ankara as a security risk.

Netanyahu expressed opposition to the deal during a report on July 7 [1]. He cited Turkey's hostile statements toward Israel and its general behavior in the region as primary concerns. The Israeli leader suggested that Turkey's current trajectory makes it an unreliable partner for such sensitive technology.

"I am opposed to the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey," Netanyahu said.

Trump, however, indicated a different approach to the relationship with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The U.S. president signaled an openness to reviving the sale of the stealth fighters to improve strategic ties with the NATO ally.

"We are looking at the possibility of selling F-35 jets to Turkey," Trump said.

The tension between the two leaders centers on Turkey's reliability. Netanyahu emphasized that the Turkish government has not consistently acted in the interests of its Western partners.

"Turkey is not exactly a model ally," Netanyahu said.

The discussion between the White House and the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem also touched upon broader Gulf tensions, and regional stability. The F-35 program has been a point of contention for years, as the U.S. previously removed Turkey from the program due to its purchase of Russian missile systems.

“"I am opposed to the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey."”

This friction underscores the delicate balancing act the U.S. administration must perform between its commitment to NATO's eastern flank and its security guarantees to Israel. By entertaining the F-35 sale, the U.S. seeks to stabilize relations with Turkey, but doing so risks alienating a primary ally who views Turkish regional ambitions as a direct threat.