Graham’s backing signals a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Turkey long-standing request to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet program after years of exclusion.
Senator Lindsey Graham has publicly voiced support for the possibility of delivering F-35 stealth fighter jets to Turkey, a move that could reshape a significant bilateral defense dispute.
Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased the Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile defense system, drawing sharp objections from Washington and NATO allies.
The exclusion left Ankara without the advanced aircraft it had originally ordered and contributed to a prolonged period of tension between the two NATO member states.
Graham’s endorsement adds notable political weight to Türkiye’s efforts to regain access to the fifth-generation fighter, which remains one of the most advanced combat aircraft in the Western arsenal.
The F-35 program, developed by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), is central to NATO’s air defense posture and has been a point of strategic contention since Türkiye’s removal nearly seven years ago.
Any resumption of F-35 deliveries to Türkiye would require Congressional approval and a resolution of outstanding concerns regarding the S-400 system still held by the Turkish military.
U.S. officials have historically conditioned Türkiye’s return to the program on the disposal or deactivation of the S-400, a demand Ankara has resisted making outright commitments on.
Graham’s support could help build a legislative case for revisiting those conditions, particularly as NATO seeks greater cohesion in response to ongoing security pressures across Europe and the Middle East.
Türkiye has remained one of NATO’s largest military forces and a strategically positioned member, giving Ankara continued leverage in negotiations over defense procurement and alliance cooperation.
The question of F-35 access intersects with broader U.S.-Türkiye relations, which have involved disputes over Syria policy, Kurdish militant groups, and Türkiye’s independent foreign policy posture.
Whether Graham’s backing translates into a concrete policy proposal or legislative action remains to be seen, but it marks a visible moment of high-level American support for Ankara’s position.
