Portuguese government cancels purchase of F-35 aircraft from United States due to disagreements with Trump

The Portuguese government announced that it canceled its plan to replace the F-16 fighter jets in  its military with F-35s due to its disagreement with the different positions expressed in recent weeks by President Donald Trump on international relations.

The announcement was issued directly by the outgoing defense minister of the European country, Nuno Melo, who, when asked by Portuguese media about modernizing the air fleet with F-35 aircraft, commented that this would not take place. He added: "We cannot ignore the geopolitical environment in our choices. The recent position of the United States, in the context of NATO ... must make us think about the best options, because the predictability of our allies is a greater asset to take into account."

Moreover, Melo explained that, since Trump's return to the White House, the world has experienced a severe realignment, with many historic U.S. allies fearful that the Republican administration will decide to block all access to the numerous spare parts and software upgrades that F-35 aircraft need to remain operational. "The world has changed ... and this ally of ours ... could bring limitations to use, maintenance, components, and everything that has to do with ensuring that aircraft will be operational and used in all types of scenarios. There are several options that must be considered, particularly in the context of European production," Melo said.

A decision that could soon change

Although both aircraft models are American made, many of the world's most powerful armed forces with close ties to the U.S. have made these replacements to maintain their aerial power. Over the past few months, the Portuguese Air Force has repeatedly recommended that the Portuguese government purchase the F-35s from Lockheed Martin, which would have represented a lucrative arms deal between the two nations.

The Portuguese government's decision could change in the coming months, since, a few hours before Melo's statements, Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called early elections for May 18, following the collapse of Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's administration.