PUNISHMENT

Report: Trump Aides Plan to Hit Turkey With Sanctions Over Russian Missile Defense System

Turkey turned to Russia for a missile defense system after failing to reach an agreement with the U.S.

President Trump’s aides are planning to punish Turkey for receiving parts of a Russian missile defense system with a package of sanctions, according to Bloomberg. Turkey began receiving parts for the Russian-made S-400 missile system on Friday, despite the U.S. claiming it puts the Pentagon’s F-35 fighter jet built by Lockheed Martin, at risk. Turkey turned to Russia for the missile system after failing to reach an agreement with the U.S. Bloomberg reports that Trump’s team has chosen one of three sets of actions designed to punish Turkey under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, though the exact plan chosen remains unclear. The plan will reportedly not be announced until next week, after the anniversary of a 2016 coup attempt against Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to avoid fueling speculation from Erdogan loyalists that the U.S. was responsible for the uprising.