NATO Summit Meeting 2026 In Ankara, Turkey With Trump May Be Lively

 Nadene Goldfoot                                            

It's 5:30 AM here on the Pacific Coast and here's the latest happening 10 hours ahead of us in Ankara, Turkey at the NATO Summit meeting where the 32 states belonging are sure to arrive.  

• Global stakes: US President Donald Trump has landed in Turkey ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, as his growing criticism continues to strain the 77-year-old alliance. NATO’s chief says US allies have made “remarkable progress” with defense spending — a salient issue for Trump, who has called on them to “step up.”

             The world's most advanced fighter jet, the F-35.  The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. It is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, giving pilots an advantage against any adversary and enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.  As adversaries advance and legacy aircraft age, the F-35 is critical to maintaining air dominance for decades to come.

                 Trump and Erdogen

• Turkey jet sales: Trump received a ceremonial welcome and was greeted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The US president is expected to signal at the summit that he is willing to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, according to two US officials. This is very bad news since Turkey and Israel are on the outs.  Turkey is again seeing through Erdogan's eyes of being the Ottoman Empire and owning Israel and all the states around.  It's digusting!  The F-35 strengthens national security, enhances global partnerships and powers economic growth. It is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft in the world, giving pilots an advantage against any adversary and enabling them to execute their mission and come home safe.

As adversaries advance and legacy aircraft age, the F-35 is critical to maintaining air dominance for decades to come.

The F-35 team is delivering integrated sustainment capabilities to ensure the F-35 is mission-ready, anytime and anywhere. Because minutes matter, Lockheed Martin’s 24/7 operations centers and sustainment engineers partner closely with our customers to solve new challenges and meet the needs of the flight line.

• Strait of Hormuz: The Trump administration anticipates security in the strait to be among the key topics discussed by NATO leaders, according to a senior US official.

• Ukraine in focus: The president is also expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara. Trump vowed to end Russia’s war within 24 hours of taking office — but his administration has yet to find a path to peace.