Faulty reasoning signals

• Confirmation Bias - 7.5% (30 hits)
• Anchoring Bias - 0%
• Availability Heuristic - 7% (28 hits)
• Representativeness Heuristic - 0%
• Hindsight Bias - 4% (16 hits)
• Overconfidence Bias - 5.2% (21 hits)
• Framing Effect - 3% (12 hits)
• Loss Aversion - 0%
• Status Quo Bias - 0%
• Sunk Cost Effect - 11.2% (45 hits)
• Optimism Bias - 6.5% (26 hits)
• Pessimism Bias - 8.5% (34 hits)

Article text

Disabling Russian tech on the table in talks over F-35s for Türkiye

As Trump administration officials discuss ways to restore Türkiye’s access to F-35 fighter jets, one option that’s been raised would ask its government to disable elements of its Russian air-defense technology, a person with knowledge of the discussions told Semafor.

The idea of effectively disabling Türkiye’s Russian S-400 system in order to comply with congressional restrictions on F-35 sales is not new — the administration considered it last year, according to a report at the time — and Trump’s advisers have not settled on it.

But the fact that this is coming up again signals that the administration is moving forward on F-35 sales to Türkiye after President Donald Trump confirmed on Tuesday that he’s open to allowing them.

If the administration proceeds with asking Türkiye to make the S-400 inoperable, it also risks intensifying pushback from members of Congress in both parties, who have indicated they view the law as prohibiting any possession of the Russian system by Türkiye, period.

Trump barred Türkiye from F-35 sales during his first term and sanctioned Ankara over the S-400s.

But as he met with its president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump made clear he’s ready for a shift, despite public opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.“

I would say the relationship with Türkiye is better, probably, than it’s ever been,” Trump said Tuesday at a bilateral meeting with Erdoğan on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

Trump added that the US plans to lift sanctions on Türkiye that were imposed in 2020 as a result of its acquisition of the Russian system.

Some US officials argue that disabling the S-400 would comply with the law, which requires the US to certify that Türkiye no longer possesses or uses the Russian air-defense tech.“

They know they need to play ball to get what they want from the US,” the person with knowledge of the discussions said of Türkiye.

Another option under discussion, according to The New York Times, would see Türkiye’s S-400s given to a third party, though Trump on Tuesday appeared to dismiss that idea.

“I have no concerns at all about anything,” Trump said when asked about that solution to the Russian missile defense systems.

The White House referred Semafor to Trump’s comments in Türkiye on Tuesday.

The Turkish embassy in the US did not return a request for comment.