A senior US official said Washington's Ambassador to Ankara Thomas Barrack, along with officials from the defense and state departments, directly briefed Congress on the sale of engines for the Turkish-made KAAN fighter jet.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, emphasized the Trump administration's commitment to full transparency in its relations with Congress, saying, "In addition to regular communication with Congress, Ambassador Barrack and officials from the defense and state departments provided a direct briefing to Congress on this matter."
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the Trump administration planned to bypass Congress's decision on the KAAN engine sale and had notified Congress of its intention. An official quoted by the paper said the move reflected the "close relationship" between President Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
In response to a question about the sale of F-35 fighter jets and KAAN engines, Trump said, "I think I will. Turkey is a NATO member. Some don't see it that way, but it really is. It's a strong NATO member. And I'll probably do something that will make (President Erdogan) very happy."
Separately, Democratic Representative Gregory Meeks said in a statement published on the congressional website that the US administration informed him "late last night that it would once again bypass congressional review to provide over $700 million in defense equipment to the Turkish military."
KAAN is a fifth-generation fighter jet developed by TAI, capable of air-to-air combat missions and precision strikes at supersonic speeds from internal weapons bays.
During a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House two days ago, Trump announced that he would attend the 36th NATO Summit hosted by Ankara on July 7-8, attributing his decision to his respect for President Erdogan.
