Despite criticism from some lawmakers, the US Senate on Thursday rejected a resolution of disapproval to halt the $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits to Turkiye. The sale was approved by President Joe Biden’s administration after Turkiye gave its consent to Sweden’s entry into NATO. The vote tally was 78 to 13 against the resolution introduced by Republican Senator Rand Paul.
Ahead of the vote, Senator Paul expressed concerns about Turkiye’s government and argued that the sale would encourage its “misbehavior.” However, supporters of the sale emphasized the importance of honoring commitments to a NATO ally. The Biden administration formally notified Congress of its intention to proceed with the sale on January 26. The package includes 40 Lockheed Martin F-16s and nearly 80 modernization kits.
The sale had faced delays due to various issues, including Turkiye’s initial refusal to approve Sweden’s NATO membership. Turkiye had requested the purchase in October 2021. Under the US Arms Export Control Act, Congress has the authority to block significant arms sales by passing a resolution of disapproval in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. However, no such resolution has successfully passed Congress and survived a presidential veto in the history of the law, which has been in effect for 50 years.
Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While Finland’s membership was confirmed last year, Turkiye and Hungary had held up Sweden’s bid. All NATO member states must approve applications from countries seeking to join the alliance.
