Staff Reports
President Trump stunned the usual diplomatic script at the NATO summit by saying the United States will remove targeted sanctions on Turkey. The move is plain and simple: stop punishing a NATO partner and try to pull Ankara closer to the West. It is bold, pragmatic, and exactly the kind of straight-line foreign policy voters say they want.
What the president actually said at NATO
At the press conference, President Trump made clear he wants the sanctions lifted and called Turkey a “friend.” He again floated the idea that Turkey could see access to a limited number of F‑35 fighter jets — a hot-button military topic ever since Ankara bought Russian S‑400 air defenses. “We don’t want to sanction friends,” he said, adding that his team, including Senator Marco Rubio and other advisers, are working the issue. The message was blunt: it’s time to change course.
Why this matters for NATO and national security
Those targeted sanctions came mainly after Turkey’s 2017 purchase of Russian S‑400 systems, which rightly worried U.S. defense planners because of how the S‑400 could compromise F‑35 systems. Lifting sanctions won’t erase those technical risks, but it signals a shift from punishment to leverage. If handled smartly, renewed cooperation could keep Turkey aligned with NATO on basing, intelligence, and countering Russian influence — areas where allies badly need unity.
Don’t forget Turkey’s troubling record
Now, let’s not pretend Ankara has been a model partner. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has presided over an increasingly authoritarian state, backed Islamist groups in Syria, and raised hackles by backing Hamas after the October 7 terror attacks. Those facts should make any U.S. leader cautious. But caution isn’t the same as isolation. You can be wary and still engage.
Why Republicans should back pragmatic engagement
Conservative foreign policy should be about strength and results, not moral grandstanding dressed up as principle. Sanctions have their place, but when they push a vital strategic partner toward Russia, they lose value. Bringing Turkey back into the fold gives the United States leverage — on defense purchases, on intelligence-sharing, and on regional behavior. If you prefer predictable leverage over theatrical lecturing, this is the right play.
President Trump’s announcement is a calculated gamble. It swaps punitive posture for transactional diplomacy. That’s uncomfortable for the hand‑wringers who enjoy moral purity, but it is often how real power protects American interests. Lift the sanctions, set clear conditions, and watch whether Ankara chooses partnership over opportunism. If it doesn’t, the leverage remains — and so does the option to act. That’s how a strong foreign policy works, and it’s worth watching closely.
