Turkey got kicked out of the world's most exclusive fighter jet club in 2019.
This week, Trump just handed them the keys back.
And Israel is furious.
Here's the backstory.
In 2017, Turkey bought Russia's S-400 air defence system.
The US freaked out — because the S-400 can allegedly read the F-35's radar signature and expose its stealth.
So Washington booted Ankara from the F-35 programme in 2019.
Then slapped CAATSA sanctions on it in 2020.
Turkey has been frozen out ever since.
This week, Trump lifted those 2020 sanctions.
And he's now "considering" selling Turkey the F-35 — the same stealth jet, still.
His reasoning?
👉 "Turkey has been much more loyal than other countries that we think would be loyal."
👉 "It's a great plane... the best plane by far."
Why the sudden warmth?
Turkey sits on the Bosphorus — the literal bridge between Europe and Asia.
Defence expert Sandeep Unnithan put it simply: "F-35s have become the military bridge between the two countries."
Netanyahu went on Fox News and CNN in the same week to kill this deal publicly.
His words weren't diplomatic. They were a warning shot.
Why so alarmed?
Israel's entire regional strategy leans on one thing — air superiority.
Give Turkey F-35s, and that edge starts to crack.
Turkey and Pakistan have been getting cozy for years now — drones, warships, joint military drills.
Unnithan's real worry: "Turkish Air Force F-35s start operating with / in support of the Pakistan Air Force in any future conflict with India."
Sounds far-fetched?
In 1971, Jordan loaned nine F-104 Starfighters to Pakistan against India — reportedly with Washington's quiet nod.
History has a way of repeating itself.
Turkey still hasn't ditched its S-400s.
Trump made a similar F-35 offer to Saudi Arabia — nothing's moved since.
So this could still fizzle out.
But the message has already landed in Tel Aviv and New Delhi.
Loyalty, apparently, now comes with stealth wings attached.
That's all for now!
