Donald Trump arrived in Ankara today for the NATO summit, but by his own admission, the trip is personal. Two weeks ago ...

Donald Trump arrived in Ankara today for the NATO summit, but by his own admission, the trip is personal. Two weeks ago at the White House, standing next to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said outright that he was traveling to Turkey out of respect for Erdogan, who invited him, not for the other allied leaders, whom he dismissed as having "betrayed" the US during the war against Iran. According to the New York Times, Trump is expected to tell Erdogan he intends to reinstate Turkey into the F-35 fighter jet program, reversing the ban he himself imposed seven years ago after Turkey purchased Russia's S-400 missile system. Officials cautioned that no timeline is set and Trump could change his mind at any moment, but the signal alone carries enormous weight for both Ankara and NATO allies watching nervously from the sidelines. Beyond the F-35 question, the meeting could also produce movement on a $700 million sale of American engines for Turkey's domestically developed KAAN fighter jet. Trump told a Turkish journalist ahead of the trip that he would "probably do something that will make Erdogan very happy," without specifying what that means. The official schedule has Trump staying in Ankara no more than 28 hours, departing Wednesday afternoon after the summit wraps and a press conference. Notably absent from the agenda is a wreath-laying at Ataturk's mausoleum, a protocol expected of all visiting heads of state. No joint press conference between Trump and Erdogan is currently planned after their bilateral meeting, which is scheduled to begin just after 3 p.m. local time. The US ambassador to NATO, Matt Whitaker, made clear the summit will not be a quiet diplomatic affair, stating that Trump "firmly believes all allies will immediately follow the path of 5% defense spending and implement it urgently." #NATO #Trump #Turkey