Thomas Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey, suggested on Sunday that the impasse with Washington over Ankara’s procurement of the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system could be resolved soon.

That would potentially clear the path for Turkey’s acquisition of the F-35 fighter jet. Barrack’s comments follow a call in March in which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asked Donald Trump to permit Turkey’s reentry into the F-35 program.

The Trump administration and members of Congress, however, should think twice before supporting the transfer of F-35s to Turkey for two reasons: one practical and one moral.

The F-35, one of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world, boasts sophisticated capabilities and sensors that make it central to American security and any future US conflict with China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. The United States Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps fly variants of the F-35, and approximately 19 allied nations are currently flying or procuring the F-35.

That is why Erdogan wanted the F-35 and was in the process of procuring it. But after brushing aside offers from the United States to sell the American-made Patriot air and missile defense system to Ankara, Erdogan decided to procure the S-400 air and missile defense system from Russia despite repeated warnings from the........

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