Trump signed defense bill that urges sanctions against Turkey

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a massive $738 billion defense spending bill on Dec. 20 which include calls for sanctions against Turkey.

The U.S. Senate on Dec. 17 passed the defense spending bill following months of negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over the measures to be included, sending the bill to Trump’s desk to be signed into law.

The bill is packed with additional measures aimed at Turkey that include a prohibition on transferring the fifth-generation F-35 joint strike fighter, or its parts, to Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system, and calls for Trump to implement sanctions on Turkey over the acquisition under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.

It further provides the Pentagon with some $30 million to purchase the F-35 aircraft initially bought by Turkey.

Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400s prompted the Trump administration to remove Turkey from the F-35 program in July. The U.S. maintains that the system could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the jet and is incompatible with NATO systems.

Turkey, however, counters that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.

Prior to Trump's signing of the bill into law, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy issued a statement condemning the use of "negative language that targets Turkey" in the bill.

"This is the latest outcome of the agenda pursued by members of Congress who are bent on damaging our bilateral relations by any means," said Aksoy on Dec. 20.