
The Secretary of Defense said Wednesday the Pentagon could consider allowing Turkey to rejoin the F-35 program if Ankara agreed to completely remove the Russian-made S-400 air and missile defense system from the country. Secretary Mark Esper told reporters during a press briefing the U.S. would have to see evidence that Turkey was no longer in possession of the S-400, and would not include keeping the system inactive and out of the field. “It’s either the F-35 or the S-400.…