Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) reiterated the need to deny the Republic of Turkey reentry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, as President Donald Trump meets with the United Nations this week. Bilirakis argued that "rewarding Erdogan's government without meaningful changes in behavior would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of U.S. foreign policy."
As The Floridian previously reported in August, President Trump removed Turkey from the program in 2019 during his first term after the Turks purchased a Russian S-400 missile defense system, further imposing sanctions on the country through the Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has floated the possibility of being readmitted to the F-35 program, but Rep. Bilirakis and other members of the Congressional Caucus on Hellenic [Greek] Issues continue to stand firm in pushing for denial.
"The United States must be very careful when engaging in negotiations, particularly as it relates to discussions surrounding Turkey's potential reentry into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program," the Hellenic Caucus said in a new statement. "President Erdogan's decision to pursue military collaboration with the Russian Federation, despite Turkey's NATO obligations, directly undermines the security of U.S. defense technology and poses a threat to the strategic integrity of allied defense cooperation."
Bilirakis further warned that readmittance "risks exposing sensitive U.S. military capabilities to Russian intelligence, eroding allied trust, and jeopardizing the development of next-generation military platforms," while also detailing Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian grip on his country and aggression against Greece, Cyprus, Kurds, and Armenians.
"Upholding CAATSA sanctions is not only a matter of legal compliance but a necessary step to protect American defense assets and reaffirm the U.S. commitment to accountability and rule of law in international relations," the statement concluded. "Rewarding Erdogan's government without meaningful changes in behavior would set a dangerous precedent and weaken the credibility of U.S. foreign policy. The United States must stand firm in defending its laws, its alliances, and the international order."
