Will Trump Actually Deliver?

This is the most important question — and the honest answer is: not automatically, and not quickly. Trump has signaled positive intent. But signaling is not the same as doing. The NATO summit ended without a formal F-35 agreement. Türkiye did not re-enter the program. What was announced is a willingness to explore a pathway — not a done deal. The administration is reportedly working to find a creative legal interpretation of what it means for Türkiye to “no longer possess” the S-400. Ideas floated include “boxing up” the systems or placing them under international inspection. But legal analysts and congressional critics say these workarounds do not satisfy the law as written.

Here is the realistic timeline: Trump can move to lift the CAATSA sanctions through executive action, but he must first submit a report to Congress. Congress then has a review period during which it can pass a resolution of disapproval. Trump could veto that resolution — but Congress could override his veto with a two-thirds majority. That’s difficult but not impossible. In short: Trump has opened a door. Whether Türkiye walks through it depends heavily on Congress, the S-400 question, and the lobbying power of the Turkish American community.

What This Means for You — Turkish Americans, This Is Your Moment

Here is what we at TCUSAPAC need you to understand: elections matter, relationships matter, and phone calls matter. Turkish Americans are citizens and residents of this country. You pay taxes. You vote. Your children serve in the U.S. military. Your businesses contribute to local economies across the United States. And you have every right — and every reason — to make your voice heard on issues that affect the relationship between your two countries.
Here is what you can do right now:

Call or write your members of Congress. Find your Representative and two U.S. Senators at www.congress.gov. Tell them you support restoring Türkiye’s place in the F-35 program. Tell them you support lifting the CAATSA sanctions. Tell them that Türkiye is a vital NATO ally with the second-largest military in the alliance, and that pushing Türkiye away is a mistake that benefits Russia and China, not America. Be polite, be clear, and be persistent.

Contact the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee. These are the committees that will most directly handle any legislation related to the F-35 deal or sanctions waiver. A message to their offices carries extra weight.
Engage your local Turkish American associations. Organizations like TCUSAPAC exist to amplify your voice. Join, donate, volunteer, and share our content. The more organized we are, the more seriously Congress takes us.
Educate your neighbors and friends. Many Americans don’t know much about Türkiye. They may have heard only negative stories. When you explain that Türkiye controls the Bosphorus Strait — the gateway between two seas — that Türkiye hosts one of NATO’s largest military bases (İncirlik), that Türkiye’s Bayraktar drones helped defend Ukraine, and that Türkiye is working to abandon the Russian S-400, you change the conversation.
Watch the following closely in the coming weeks and months:
The administration’s formal CAATSA waiver submission to Congress. Any Joint Resolution of Disapproval introduced in the House or Senate. The fate of Türkiye’s alternative purchase — the F110 engine deal for the homegrown KAAN fighter jet — which is currently moving forward. Any vote on the defense spending bill (NDAA) for fiscal year 2027, which could include new language on Türkiye. And Türkiye’s next formal announcement on the S-400 — the key that unlocks everything.