The Greek-American lobby is sending a loud and clear message to President Donald Trump, firmly opposing the proposed sale of engines for the Turkish KAAN fighter jet and the administration’s intention to unblock the sale of F-35s to Turkey. At a critical juncture for the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Greek-American community is intensifying pressure on the White House, voicing strong opposition to the pending transfer of defense equipment to Ankara. The American Hellenic Institute (AHI), through its president Nikos Larigakis, is calling for the immediate cancellation of the proposed transfer of American GE F110 engines, which are intended to power Turkey’s new KAAN combat aircraft.
In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump dated June 26, 2026, Mr. Larigakis argues that approving such a sale would constitute a serious strategic error. The AHI reminds the administration that Turkey remains excluded from the F-35 program due to its insistence on retaining the Russian S-400 missile defense system — a decision that led to the imposition of CAATSA sanctions during Trump’s first term. “Nothing has changed since 2020,” the letter states, emphasizing that the underlying U.S. national security concerns remain fully intact.
Speaking to parapolitika.gr, Nikos Larigakis, head of the American Hellenic Institute, once again voiced the Greek diaspora’s deep frustration over Trump’s statements signaling support for Turkey. He noted that the AHI’s letter to the president includes a lengthy list of Turkish provocations, including the ongoing illegal occupation of Cyprus, repeated violations of Greek sovereignty in the Aegean, and Ankara’s ties with both Russia and Hamas. Mr. Larigakis draws a sharp contrast between Turkey’s behavior and the strategic partnership the United States maintains with Greece and Cyprus, urging Washington to strengthen its democratic allies rather than reward Turkish aggression.
Nikos Larigakis: We see and hear what President Trump is saying — and we’re not sitting on our hands
Explaining the motivation behind the AHI’s intervention, Mr. Larigakis told parapolitika.gr: “We act as American citizens and we advocate for American interests. At the same time, as an organization that has been operating for 52 years, we stand firmly in support of Greece and Cyprus. In this letter to President Trump, we make clear which countries are actually advancing America’s interests in the Mediterranean region. Turkey has a long track record — which I document in the letter — of failing to do what it should. We always try to remind people of these facts and to make it known to the White House that we see and hear what the President is saying, and we are not sitting on our hands — to put it plainly.”
Mr. Larigakis also highlighted a joint statement issued by four members of Congress — Gus Bilirakis, Nicole Malliotakis, Mike Haridopolos, and Jim Panetta — expressing deep concern over President Trump’s decision to move forward with the sale of fighter jet engines to Turkey, warning that Ankara continues to be a destabilizing force in the Eastern Mediterranean. As Mr. Larigakis noted, “They’ve already taken action and the four members of Congress have put out statements. It’s a significant protest — and notably from Ms. Malliotakis, who is a strong Trump ally, being in the same party and having supported him. On this particular issue, credit where credit is due — she pushed back.”
Despite these concerns, the head of the American Hellenic Institute remains cautiously optimistic that Mr. Trump will not take any concrete action before the NATO Summit in Ankara on July 7 and 8, given the limited time available. He also pointed out that “Mr. Trump, as you can see, changes his positions from one day to the next… We’ll have to wait and see.”
Congress as a safeguard — one that must not be undermined
A particular source of concern is that the U.S. administration appears to be advancing the sale process while bypassing the established consultative role of Congress and disregarding objections from senior legislative leaders. Through their actions, Greek Americans are signaling that Congress’s constitutional role serves as an essential safeguard that must not be undermined. Yet they are also realistic: if the White House chooses to proceed without congressional input, lawmakers’ options for blocking the sale are extremely limited, as overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers.
The AHI’s letter to the White House was also copied to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, underscoring the need to uphold the rule of law and prevent any enhancement of Turkey’s air force capabilities until Ankara fully complies with international and U.S. requirements.
