U.S. Trump Administration Advances $700 Million Jet Engine Sale to Turkey

The Trump administration has notified Congress of its intent to sell General Electric jet engines and related equipment to Turkey in a deal valued at more than $700 million. The engines are intended for Turkey’s domestically produced fighter project, known as the Kaan, and the move comes despite opposition from several members of Congress who cite Turkey’s 2019 purchase of the Russian S‑400 air‑defence system.

U.S. officials, including Vice President Mike Pence, say the sale is being reviewed for compliance with U.S. law, while Defense Secretary Pete Hagel’s team assesses whether it can proceed without violating the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. At the same time, the United States is reportedly re‑examining the possibility of allowing Turkey back into the F‑35 programme, contingent on safeguards that would render the S‑400 inoperable.

The negotiations unfold ahead of the NATO summit scheduled in Istanbul, a setting that both leaders have highlighted as an opportunity to strengthen the alliance. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has praised the talks, and the proposed sale is seen as a signal of improving U.S.–Turkey defence ties.