President Donald Trump said Israel will not determine U.S. weapons policy toward Turkey and pledged to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin over claims that Moscow has supplied Iran with satellite intelligence used to target American forces.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not dictate whether the United States sells F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, while also announcing that he intends to question Russian President Vladimir Putin about allegations that Moscow has helped Iran identify American military targets in the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed Netanyahu’s public opposition to a possible F-35 sale to Ankara and asserted that decisions involving American military equipment remain under U.S. control.
“Nobody tells me what we should be selling,” Trump said when asked about Netanyahu’s position, according to The Times of Israel.
Trump acknowledged the strained relationship between Turkey and Israel, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s opposition to Netanyahu, but emphasized that Ankara has maintained a productive relationship with his administration.
“Turkey’s not a big fan of Israel, not a great fan of Bibi,” Trump said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname. “But they’ve been great for me.”
The dispute comes amid continuing questions over whether Turkey could eventually be readmitted to the F-35 program. Trump indicated earlier this month that he would approve the sale of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft, but the State Department informed Congress last week that Ankara does not currently satisfy the conditions required to purchase the jets.
That notification left the proposed sale on hold despite Trump’s expressed willingness to proceed.
Turkey was previously involved in the F-35 program, but its future access to the aircraft has remained uncertain. Netanyahu’s objections reflect Israeli concerns about preserving the country’s military advantage in the region, particularly as relations between Jerusalem and Ankara remain tense.
Trump’s remarks came one day before a scheduled White House meeting with Netanyahu, where Iran is expected to dominate the discussion. The president acknowledged that he and the Israeli leader do not agree on every aspect of Iran policy but said their positions remain close.
“We have a little difference but [are] pretty close,” Trump said.
The comment came amid speculation that Netanyahu would urge Trump not to pursue a diplomatic agreement with Tehran. Trump has defended his decision to postpone additional U.S. military action against Iran after regional mediators argued that negotiations were showing progress.
“They want to meet, and we’re meeting. There’s a chance we can make a deal,” Trump said. “But without what we did, they wouldn’t even be talking to us.”
Trump also addressed a separate allegation involving Russia and Iran, saying he would directly ask Putin whether the Russian government has been sharing intelligence with Tehran.
“Well, we’ll find out if that’s true,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday. “I’ll ask Putin about it.”
The allegation originated with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said Saturday that his government had recorded Russian satellite surveillance of U.S. military installations and Gulf nations before related intelligence later appeared in Iranian hands.
“Since the beginning of July, we have recorded active Russian satellite surveillance of the Gulf states and U.S. military facilities located there,” Zelenskyy said on X.
“These images subsequently appear in Iran. At the same time, there is a clear correlation between Russia’s satellite imagery of these sites and Iranian strikes — both before the attacks, in preparation for them, and afterward, to assess the damage inflicted.”
Zelenskyy said he plans to provide the Trump administration with evidence supporting the claim that Russian surveillance assistance has helped Iran target American bases in the Middle East.
Trump said that even if the allegation proves accurate, the assistance has not significantly changed the military balance.
If Zelenskyy is correct, Trump said, it “hasn’t had much impact because we’ve knocked the hell out of” Iran.
The president’s response marked a shift from comments he made last week, when he said he did not believe Russia or China was providing meaningful military or intelligence support to Tehran.
That position differed from testimony given by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Hegseth said there were “ways in which both of those countries” were “enabling” Iran “at different levels.”
When asked how enabling Tehran differed from directly assisting it, Trump rejected the premise that Russia or China had played a major role.
“Well, I don’t know that they’re enabling,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “I mean, I will tell you that [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] said he will not partake, and President Putin said the same thing … I trust them.”
“There could be some things you do, but thus far, at least, [it] has not been major,” Trump added. “I don’t think they’d want to have me disappointed.”
Trump’s planned conversation with Putin could test those assurances, particularly if Ukraine provides evidence that Russian satellite imagery was used before or after Iranian strikes against American facilities.
The allegation also adds another dimension to Trump’s upcoming talks with Netanyahu. In addition to disagreements over Turkey’s possible access to F-35 aircraft and the prospect of renewed negotiations with Iran, the two leaders are expected to consider the broader role of Russia and China in supporting Tehran.
Trump has maintained that diplomacy remains his preferred path but has repeatedly warned that military action will resume if Iran refuses to negotiate seriously. His comments Monday suggested that the administration is simultaneously balancing talks with Tehran, pressure from Israel, weapons relations with Turkey and questions about whether Russia has quietly aided Iranian operations.
The White House meeting with Netanyahu is expected to clarify how closely the United States and Israel remain aligned on Iran and whether Trump intends to move forward with the possible Turkish F-35 sale despite Israeli objections.
Original article
Comments