Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has voiced strong opposition to a possible U.S. sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. His comments came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he was considering the sale. In an interview with CNN, Netanyahu said that selling the United States’ most advanced fighter aircraft to Turkey would be a mistake, arguing that Turkey’s current government is influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, which he claimed harbors hostility toward the U.S.
Trump had met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara during a NATO summit and said he would soon decide whether to proceed with the sale of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II jets to Turkey. Netanyahu told CNN that he had directly urged Trump not to approve the sale, warning that Turkey could become more aggressive if it obtained the aircraft.
Netanyahu added that he and Trump share broad agreement on major issues, emphasizing that both leaders act in the best interests of their respective nations, which he said often align closely.