Lawmakers Seek to Block Proposed $700 Million Jet Engine Sale to Turkey

Reps. Greg Meeks and Nicole Malliotakis joined forces to block a proposed U.S. sale of jet engines and other defense articles valued at more than $700 million to Turkey, New York Post reported. The bipartisan effort targets the Trump administration's plan to notify Congress of the transaction.

Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a statement on June 25 accusing the administration of bypassing congressional review. He said the State Department did not invoke emergency authority, present a written rationale, or brief him on the sale despite repeated requests.

Meeks added that the items would not be delivered for years and that there was no basis to treat the transaction as urgent.

Malliotakis posted on X the same day that Turkey should not receive U.S. jets and military equipment while under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's leadership. She cited Turkey's alignment with Iran and Russia, its harboring of Hamas, and its status as the only NATO member that has not sanctioned Russia.

President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on June 25 that he was going to do something for Erdogan that would make him very happy. He described Erdogan as a NATO member and a great leader who had carried out every request the president had made, including staying out of the war with Iran. Trump noted Erdogan's presence at the upcoming NATO summit stems from Turkey hosting the event.

The administration informed Meeks's office it would proceed directly to formal notification. Reps for Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast did not immediately respond to requests for comment.