President Donald Trump listens as Rep. Mike Lawler speaks during a Fighting for American Workers event, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Suffern, New York. [Ryan Murphy/AP Photo]
Republican Congressman Mike Lawler is leading a new congressional effort aimed at preventing any future transfer of F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey.
Lawler has drafted a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to maintain the prohibition imposed in 2019 and refrain from moving forward with any transfer of the aircraft to Ankara.
The letter is currently being circulated among members of Congress for signatures.
The lawmaker from New York argues that President Erdogan’s “continued aggression toward our greatest partners” and his “troubling defense partnerships with our adversaries” make any such sale contrary to US national interests.
