President Trump began the NATO's summit in Turkey alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with a clear message that Turkey is a better friend to the United States than many of its traditional Western allies. As a result, Mr. Trump said he's lifting sanctions and considering allowing Turkey to have F-35 fighter jets again, despite concerns from his own party.  They should all pay.

     "I was very disappointed with NATO," the president told reporters alongside Erdoğan. "And frankly, if it weren't held in Turkey, where my friend happens to be a very strong leader — a very strong, uh, person — it's possible that I wouldn't have attended. I felt I had to attend."

     Seated alongside Erdoğan in Ankara's presidential compound, Mr. Trump said the U.S. will "consider" allowing Turkey to purchase the United States' F-35 jets again, a long-desired goal for Turkey. Only a handful of countries have access to the technology, and the first Trump administration banned Turkey from the program in 2019 over its use of Russian military technology. In 2020, Congress passed legislation effectively prohibiting the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. 

     But Mr. Trump said that the U.S. should help Turkey, a country that has "frankly has been more helpful to the United States than many other more traditional countries."  Erdoğan, meanwhile, said the U.S. president promised five F-35 fighter jets. 

     "As you know, the topic of the F-35 is not new for us, and we have previously discussed this issue with [the U.S.]," Erdoğan said, as translated by CBS News. "And we have secured the five jets and Mr. Trump also promised us. Now, in the leaders' summit discussions, I hope to ensure that the pledge we received ... is addressed positively. And in this regard, Mr. Trump always stands by his word." The White House, asked which world leader is correct, merely referenced the president's earlier remarks, without attempting to further clarify the issue.