Portuguese Defense Minister Nuno Melo, who will soon leave his post, announced the cancellation of plans to purchase American F-35 fighter jets to replace the country's fleet of F-16s. He attributed this decision to the policies of US President Donald Trump,

The US President's apparent lurch towards Russia has shocked traditional Nato allies in Europe. Read more at straitstimes.com.

The Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighter aircraft was considered the front runner to meet this need. In fact, in 2023 the Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Air Force (FAP), General João Guilherme Rosado Cartaxo Alves stated that the F-35A was the preferred choice.

In an interview with the Portuguese news agency Público, Portugal's Defence Minister Nuno Melo stated that he rejected the possibility of ordering fifth-generation F-35 fighters. His decision is linked to the current policies of the Donald Trump administration and concerns that the US government may block access to software updates and spare parts

Donald Trump immediately initiated a trade war at the start of his second term in the White House. The US imposes extreme trade tariffs and faces retaliatory tariffs in return. An explosive ping pong game.