Washington.- U.S. President Donald Trump asserted this Monday that “no one” can dictate to him what weaponry he should sell to other countries, after being asked about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to a potential transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
“He is a friend of mine and nobody tells me what we should sell him,” Trump stated regarding Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in remarks to the press aboard Air Force One, on his way to Michigan.
The Republican leader noted that “Turkey is not a big fan of Israel or Bibi,” referring to Netanyahu’s nickname, although he stressed that Ankara is a “great ally” of the United States.
During the NATO summit held earlier this month in Ankara, Trump confirmed that he is considering selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and lifting the veto imposed since the Turkish government acquired Russian S-400 anti-missile systems in 2017.
Netanyahu travels to the United States
Israel has expressed its rejection of that potential sale, considering that it would alter the military balance in the Middle East and put its air superiority at risk.
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Trump will receive Netanyahu this Tuesday at the White House, who traveled to the United States to attend the funeral of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
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The meeting is expected to focus heavily on the Iran war and Washington’s renewed efforts to reach an agreement with Tehran, a matter on which Trump acknowledged having some disagreements with Netanyahu.
“We have small differences, but we are quite close,” he stated.
