Will Israel and Turkey Soon Match F-35 Fleets at a Time of Heightened Threats?

 

"Since Trump entered the White House, Israel has been undergoing a steady decline in its status as the leading US partner and the only regional ally with Washington's ear."

"Following Israel's failed operation in Qatar, Doha received a US defense commitment and protective umbrella that effectively serve as an insurance policy against similar Israeli actions in the future."

"Turkey has also been drawing closer to the US, beginning with the central role it played in the agreement to end the war in Gaza."

"The status Trump granted Erdogan, including Erdogan's signature on Trump's 20-point plan, and now the sale of advanced fighter jets place Turkey in a similar position."

Zvika Haimovich,  Israel Hayom   

Trump and Erdogan   Photo AFP 

 

Qatar is privileged as a reflection of its vast treasury leading to its generosity in U.S. university investments and pleasing the American president no end with the gift of a $400M presidential jet. But it is President Donald Trump's assessment of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's persona as a strongman that elicits the president's approval of this man. It took this president no time at all to assess Syria's new (interim) president as a 'nice young man' belying his terrorist credentials, now recognizable as a dependable ally.

 

The American government's recognition of Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East, one to which it has pledged its support unremittingly in a myriad of ways, not the least of which supplying the Jewish state with technologically advanced planes and weaponry through various administrations, came full circle when Donald J. Trump was once again elected for a second term as president. The personal relationship between Mr. Trump and Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu who himself resumed another stint as Prime Minister seemed forged in steel.

 

Trump and Erdogan. A challenge to Israel's national security. Photo: Reuters

 

Unfortunately that steel has not withstood the test of time -- and not all that much time to be sure -- which opened a wedge of  unexpected distance where once there was only warmth, mutual admiration, support and cooperation. Israel, moving forward with its own homegrown defensive weaponry still remains dependent on the U.S. for its planes and where at one time it was taken for granted that the U.S. would ensure Israel had the advantage in its acquisition of U.S. advanced weaponry and planes it seems that its greatest threat aside from Iran may now be deemed by President Trump to be trusted with F-35s much to Israel's and Greece's dismay.

 

Donald Trump has ears and eyes and a mind that is capable of hearing and seeing the threats emanating against Israel by Turkey's Erdogan. But here is Erdogan promising Trump that he will return the NATO-problematic S-400 missile systems to Russia. Alternately passing them off with Russia's permission to a third party. And with the S-400 out of the way so they can no longer be perceived as a risk element with the F-35s, Erdogan is discussing the purchase of the American planes for his airforce, the 2nd largest standing military force in NATO. 

 

F-35s. Photo by MANDEL NGAN /AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

 

When Turkey acquired Russia's S-400 batteries, it was barred from access to the advanced F-35 jets. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, the matter is "extremely sensitive".  He stated that Russia "Had contacts with the Turkish side on this matter, and we'll continue those contacts". As for Mr. Trump, he reiterated that he hadn't yet decided whether to permit Turkey to buy the Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 jets yet. "I haven't totally made up my mind, but my inclination is to say, look, he's done everything. He's helped us in so many different ways." 

 

That's a long way from the time that saw Turkey attempting to buy U.S.-made Patriot missiles a decade ago when Washington failed to finalize a deal. Which led to Ankara's turning to Russia for the S-400s -- and the United States acted as a result to lock Ankara out of the F-35 program, invoking the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act in 2020 to ensure that Turkey's defense industry was locked out of access to other sensitive technology.  

 

President Donald Trump, left, meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he arrives for the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, July 7, 2026. (Osmancan Gürdoğan, Pool Photo via AP)

 

The Ultimate Gamer

"I thought that people were jumping a little bit out of line."

"They were getting a little bit yippy, a little bit afraid."

"I was watching the bond market. The bond market is very tricky. But if you look at it now, it's beautiful." 

"I have authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%."

"[I am] going to take a look at [tariff exemptions for some U.S. companies and will decide] on instinct."

"BE COOL! Everything is going to work out."

"I know what the  hell I'm doing. I know what I'm doing. And you know what I'm doing, too. That's why you vote for me."

U.S. President Donald J. Trump 

U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)

 

The game he plays is 'On-again-Off-again'. It's his very own game. And no one else has the privilege of playing it; he designed it for his own pleasure and it's his, and his alone. More eyes swivel to that game's output than have ever been drawn to any other game in a gaming and gamed world. It's his very special project. And it does wonders for his psyche. Anyone can play a game pretending they control anything they want ,to feel a fleeting sense of purpose, enhanced self-esteem and gratification at their manipulative skills.

 

But no one else has the steering wheel of a ship of state sailing in international waters whose wake has the potential to sink other ships. And the man at the helm of that ship really enjoys watching those rollers swamp the puny sailing vessels that stream about him. Just as casually as Donald Trump burdened the world's complex, integrated trade regimen with surprise Tariffs, basking in the shower of appeals he and his administration were besieged with by desperate world leaders hoping that reason might prevail in the prevention of an irreparable global trade collapse, he decided to put them on hold temporarily.

 

Fears of recession assailed not only the nations he targeted with those GDP-strangling tariffs but his very own 'advisers' as well. There were no fewer than 56 nations anticipating the collapse of their economies once higher reciprocal duties took effect. The subsequent market turmoil and recession fears resembled a different kind of pandemic, one nature had nothing to do with -- other than the nature of this man who is now the president of the most powerful nation on Earth.

 

With the temporary reversal, stocks surged, the S&P 500 index rising over eight percent and the Nasdaq 100 soaring. With the reciprocal duties now on hold, countries that were originally offended by the original 10 percent baseline  rate, breathe a sigh of relief, returning to that rate. Corporate interests and the wealth of nations temporarily pacified; the world's billionaires recouping what was lost -- for the time being. China, according to a White House official represented the sole outlier.

 

Boasting that over 75 countries had appealed to his administration for trade barrier negotiations and "have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape or form", represented a winning ploy in his game. The U.S. stock market appears unconvinced that the worst possible scenario might have been averted, however, given that the world's two largest economies have gone on to intensify their tariff war.

 

Tariffs on Chinese goods was increased to 104 percent by Trump, Beijing responding with additional duties on U.S. imports, making its total tariffs on U.S. goods 84 percent. China, Trump posted, has demonstrated a "lack of respect", announcing he planned to increase tariffs on Chinese imports to 125 percent, instantly effective. 

The turnabout in tariffs represents, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, a victory for Trump. The president "created maximum negotiating leverage for himself" in talks with other nations. Officials from Vietnam, Japan, India and South Korea would be given the opportunity in coming days to make their case directly. "It took great courage for him to stay the course until this moment. This was his strategy all along", crowed Mr. Bessent triumphantly.

 

Members of the Trump administration, from left: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent and Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)