US President Donald Trump said Monday he was considering selling top-end F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who adamantly opposes the move.
"We're thinking about it very seriously," Trump said when asked about an F-35 deal for Turkey as he met Netanyahu at the US leader's Florida club.
The United States booted Turkey from development of the F-35, a top-of-the-line stealth plane, in 2019 after the NATO ally went ahead with purchases of missile defence from Russia.
Trump, however, has warm relations with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, despite the veteran Islamist-rooted leader's fiery denunciations of Israel's devastating war on Gaza.
Israeli policymakers argue that F-35s would benefit Turkey in a potential war. Israel and Turkey are at odds over war-ravaged Syria, which neighbours both countries.
Asked about the potential for conflict between Israel and Turkey, Trump called Erdogan "a very good friend."
"We're not going have a problem," Trump said of Israel and Turkey. "Nothing's going to happen."
Trump in his first term also agreed to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates after it recognised Israel.
He more recently voiced support for F-35 sales to Saudi Arabia, despite a longstanding US policy that Israel must have a military edge over potential regional adversaries.