Fox News' Mark Levin slams Trump's Turkey deal as 'big mistake', warns of consequences 'for decades'

WASHINGTON, DC: Fox News host Mark Levin publicly parted ways with President Donald Trump on Tuesday over his decision to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and lift sanctions on Ankara, calling the move a “big mistake” and warning that the consequences of arming Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be felt by American administrations “for decades to come.”

Levin shared his displeasure on X, shortly after the president met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. The televised meeting coincided with Trump's trip to Turkey for the latest NATO Summit, which he said he wouldn’t have attended if not for his great respect for his “friend” Erdogan. 

Mark Levin warns Turkey threatened Israel while US stayed silent

Levin's sharpest criticism centered on what he described as the administration's failure to respond to Erdoğan's recent threats toward Israel.

"He threatened to destroy Israel the other day, and the administration not only said nothing but went ahead with the F-35 and jet engine sales AND will lift all sanctions against Turkey, and we are doing so while lavishly praising Erdogan," Levin wrote. 

“We’re piling on so many generous and expensive gifts even Erdogan is surprised,” he wrote, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Big mistake.”

In a separate social media post, Levin wrote that the American people “do not support providing these top-line military gifts to Erdogan and his regime.”

The remarks put Levin in rare public opposition to Trump, who held a bilateral meeting with Erdogan in Ankara ahead of the NATO summit and told reporters he had "no concerns" about any aspect of the Turkey deal, including questions about whether Turkey's Russian S-400 missile defense system would be handed over to a third party.

"I would say the relationship with Turkey is better probably than it's ever been," Trump said, praising Erdogan as a leader who has made Turkey "a much better country, a much more powerful country."

Israel and bipartisan lawmakers push back

Ahead of the much-awaited NATO summit, Trump met with Erdogan in Ankara in a bilateral meeting. “No concerns” about Turkey’s S-400 missile defense system being handed over to a third party as part of the deal involving the F-35s, the US president told reporters.

“I have no concerns about anything having to do with Turkey,” Trump said.

“I would say the relationship with Turkey is better probably than it’s ever been. It was good in my first four years, but I think it’s probably better than that if that’s possible.”

He praised Erdogan for being a leader who has made Turkey “a much better country, a much more powerful country.”

Trump told reporters Tuesday that he will lift US sanctions on Turkey that prohibit the president from selling the F-35s to the country. He banned the sale of the jets to Turkey during his first term

Congress also banned the transfer of the F-35 to Turkey as long as the Turkish military has a Russian defense system, a provision signed into law in the 2020 Defense Authorization Act.

US and Israeli lawmakers have protested the potential move.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Monday that delivering the jets to Turkey will “upset the power balance in the Middle East, which is ultimately guaranteed by Israeli air superiority, and also by, I think … America’s posture in the Middle East.”