Trump-Erdogan ties pay off for Turkey in 2025 as Ankara pushes for F-35s
Leader-level diplomacy between Ankara and Washington produced selective gains but failed to break the deadlock over defense sanctions imposed for Turkey’s S-400 purchase.
ANKARA — Close personal ties between President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan helped Ankara score diplomatic wins on Syria and Gaza in 2025, but it couldn’t bridge the deepest divide in US-Turkish ties: sanctions over Turkey’s S-400 missile defense system purchase.
The Trump-Erdogan relationship in 2025 has illustrated both the promise and the limits of leader-level diplomacy in US-Turkish ties. Personal access and political goodwill helped Ankara secure gains on regional files where interests overlapped, particularly Syria and Gaza.
Yet the year also underscored how deeply entrenched disputes, anchored in US law and congressional opposition, continue to constrain the relationship, leaving the sanctions imposed over Turkey’s S-400 purchase firmly in place and setting the stage for another uncertain year ahead.
Trump-Erdogan chemistry
