Allies, in jab at Trump, threaten not to buy F-35s

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

08/13/2025 06:15 PM EDT


Allies fed up with Donald Trump’s latest round of punishing tariffs and spending demands are hitting the president where it hurts — his favorite fighter jet.

Spain, in the wake of a row with Washington over NATO’s new 5 percent defense spending goal, ditched its multibillion-dollar purchase of the stealthy F-35 fighter jet. Switzerland, reeling from steep U.S. tariffs, is facing increasing pressure across the political spectrum to drop plans for its own F-35 war planes. And India, frustrated at higher U.S. prices on its goods, has reportedly decided to pause efforts to buy American combat vehicles.

The moves — all made in the past two weeks — show the potential consequences of Trump’s economic actions as they reverberate through allied capitals, forcing governments to reassess their defense ties with the United States. They also reinforce American industry fears that this new form of protectionism will spark retaliation, jeopardize arms sales and chip away at America’s dominance as the globe’s top defense supplier.

While most allies aren’t rushing to pull out of long-planned purchases, the recent actions by the three countries show growing pockets of resistance, and some of the most concrete pushback yet, to Trump’s global trade maneuvers.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/13/trump-tariffs-allies-f-35-00508201