Greek-American organizations are intensifying their campaign to block the sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey as reports suggest President Trump is contemplating lifting sanctions, a move that could bring Turkey back into the program.
AHEPA, the largest and oldest Greek-American organization in the United States, and the American Hellenic Institute have dispatched open letters to President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, pressing them to uphold the sanctions imposed on Turkey.
Is Trump rethinking the F-35 sale to Turkey? Earlier this month, Trump spoke with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the phone, after which reports surfaced indicating Trump might be leaning toward reinstating Turkey in the F-35 program.
Turkey was ousted from the program in 2019 after it purchased and activated the Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. Now, sources say Trump’s team is exploring options to sidestep the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). The U.S. has reignited concerns over the S-400, proposing that Turkey could return to the F-35 program if the Russian system is neutralized. One idea being discussed is moving the S-400 to a U.S.-controlled base.
Per the Turkish government’s summary of the recent Trump-Erdogan call, both leaders agreed it was essential to “finalize Türkiye’s re-participation in the F-35 program.” This follows a November 26 statement from Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, who disclosed that Ankara had formally renewed its request to buy 40 F-35A jets. Guler told a Turkish parliamentary committee that the incoming Trump administration might reconsider the sale, claiming U.S. officials had signaled willingness to provide the aircraft.
Greek-American groups also oppose selling F-16s to Turkey. In a letter, AHEPA Supreme President Savas C. Tsivicos voiced alarm over Turkey’s recent behavior and urged Secretary Rubio to safeguard U.S. security and allied interests. The letter points out Turkey’s support for Hamas, its apparent alignment with Hezbollah—another U.S.-designated terrorist group—its military actions against Kurdish forces in Syria, vital U.S. partners in the fight against ISIS, and its status as the only NATO member not sanctioning Russia after its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
The letter further accuses Turkey under Erdogan of repeatedly provoking Greece through actions and rhetoric, including breaches of Greek airspace and maritime zones, which undermine NATO’s principles and risk destabilizing the region. It also highlights Turkey’s ongoing illegal occupation of northern Cyprus, a sovereign EU member state, noting Ankara’s refusal to withdraw troops or negotiate sincerely despite decades of global criticism.
American Hellenic Institute (AHI) President Nick Larigakis, in his own letter to Trump, called for maintaining CAATSA sanctions imposed after Turkey acquired the S-400 despite prior warnings from Trump’s earlier administration. Larigakis stressed that Turkey knowingly accepted the consequences of buying the Russian system yet went ahead with it. He warned that letting Turkey back into the F-35 program just by offloading the S-400 would imply its initial decision faced no real repercussions.
Larigakis argued that Turkey should dismantle the S-400 not as a bargaining chip with the U.S., but as proof of its dedication to its NATO and U.S. commitments. “The U.S. shouldn’t reward [Turkey] for fixing a problem it caused itself,” he asserted.
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