Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today condemned President Biden’s recent comments supporting the sale of U.S. F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Turkey:

            “Selling F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Turkey is an egregious mistake.

            “Under the rule of strongman Recep Erdogan, Turkey has become a disruptive force in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Caucasus, North Africa and beyond.  Erdogan threatens NATO ally Greece, illegally occupies the north of Cyprus, and funds terrorists—most notably Hamas.

            “Erdogan also plays a double game with Putin’s Russia and has purchased Russian S-400 missile systems.  Turkey's acquisition of the F-16's and modernization kits would pose serious co-location risks, given Turkey's continued insistence on maintaining the Russian S-400 system—the very reason we expelled Turkey from the F-35 program.  

            “Furthermore, the sale of F-16’s to Turkey would violate U.S. law, since the Turkish military procurement industry—the SSB—is sanctioned by the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, commonly known as CAATSA.”

            “These grave concerns make President Biden’s comments on F-16 modernization unconscionable.”

            Smith, together with 34 House colleagues, also sent a letter to President Biden this week criticizing Biden’s support for selling the fighter jets to Turkey—which would effectively reward Erdogan for ignoring alliance commitments to the U.S. and NATO, violating Greece’s airspace, and committing egregious human rights abuses at home and abroad.

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