Recent remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio have clarified that Turkey remains effectively locked out of the F-35 Lightning II program, despite recent speculation that relations between Washington and Ankara might be improving. Testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio stated that current U.S. law prevents Turkey from purchasing or operating the fifth-generation fighter as long as it retains the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.

The American Hellenic Institute (AHI) is calling for CAATSA sanctions to be maintained and for Turkey not to rejoin the F-35 fighter program in a letter sent to Donald Trump.