Turkey Is Very Strong, They Have A Lot Of Our Best Equipment, They’re Trying To Get The F-35 -Trump

According to a report by The Times Of Israel on July 8, 2026, US President Donald Trump commended both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while addressing tensions between the two leaders over the possible sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Trump said he personally convinced Erdogan not to support Iran during the recent conflict.

“I like Erdogan,” Trump tells reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey, calling the Turkish leader “terrific.”

Trump repeated an earlier claim that Erdogan had considered becoming involved in the war alongside Iran but ultimately chose not to do so. He linked that decision to his own intervention and suggested it helped prevent a wider regional conflict.

Referring to Netanyahu, whom he described as “a terrific wartime prime minister,” Trump mentioned the Israeli leader’s recent criticism of Erdogan.

“Bibi said real things yesterday about Turkey and Erdogan,” Trump says, using the premier’s nickname. “And I said, you know, I spoke to [Netanyahu]. I said [Erdogan] could have gone into the war because he doesn’t like Israel much, and he doesn’t like Bibi much, and he didn’t go because of me.”

Trump also highlighted Turkey’s military strength, describing it as a major regional power with extensive armed forces. He noted that Ankara possesses advanced American military equipment and continues to seek approval to purchase F-35 fighter jets from the United States.

He adds that Turkey is “a military power, [with] millions of soldiers. Turkey is very strong. They have a lot of our best equipment. They’re trying to get the F-35.”

Trump concluded by repeating his assertion that Erdogan had stayed out of the Iran conflict because of his persuasion.

“But [Erdogan] didn’t go in” to the Iran war, Trump says, again claiming he had persuaded the Turkish leader to stay out of the conflict, apparently suggesting this demonstrates that Ankara is not acting as a hostile party…....