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

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, Report informs via Politico.

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 US tariffs, is facing increasing pressure across the political spectrum to drop plans for its own F-35 war planes. And India, frustrated at higher US 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.

The tariffs are “a big middle finger” to allies the US has urged for years to buy American equipment, said Jim Townsend, a former Pentagon official who oversaw Europe and NATO policy. “All of these nations feel bruised by the United States.”

The F-35, made by Lockheed Martin, is especially vulnerable to this sort of economic turbulence. Its parts come from more than 100 suppliers around the world, and big overseas orders help keep the price of each jet down. If countries pull out or cut back, costs go up for everyone. The combined price tag for Spain’s and Switzerland’s F-35 orders was about $15 billion for several dozen planes each.

Spain’s decision not to pursue the F-35 could steer billions toward the Eurofighter Typhoon — made by the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain — and the Franco-German Future Combat Air System, a next-generation stealth fighter and drone system slated for the 2040s. Spanish officials cited the need for industrial sovereignty, stronger European supply chains and more reliable partners.

Such moves are also politically useful from some European countries. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s response appeals to the government’s left-leaning base, according to a senior EU official granted anonymity to discuss sensitive political dynamics.

“For Sánchez, it's just very convenient to play Trump's victim," the person said.

The Swiss deal to buy 36 F-35 jets squeaked through a 2021 referendum with just over 50 percent support, and new tariffs reignited the political fight. Swiss lawmakers pushed to cancel the purchase when US tariffs hit 39 percent, but the government on Wednesday reaffirmed its intent to buy the jets and ordered a review.

A decision is due in November. Swiss officials said they can’t pin down a final price because the US has not agreed to one, leaving the contract open to swings in inflation, higher raw material costs and customs duties — which could add as much as $1.6 billion.

Other prospective buyers, such as Portugal, have delayed decisions amid doubts over US reliability.