WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is holding talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the White House on Thursday and signaling that the United States might soon lift its hold on sales of advanced fighter jets to Ankara.

During Trump’s first term, the U.S. removed Turkey, a NATO ally, from its flagship F-35 fighter jet program after Turkey purchased an air defense system from Russia. U.S. officials worried that Turkey's use of Russia's S-400 surface-to-air missile system could be used to gather data on the capabilities of the F-35 and that the information could end up in Russian hands.

Trump started his Oval Office meeting with Erdogan by offering hope that a resolution to the matter could be found during the leaders' talks.

“He needs certain things, and we need c

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