Trump's second term has become an era for Islamist revival

Trumps second term has become an era for radical Islamists to revive — U.S. President Donald Trump, left, with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ankara, Turkey, July 7, 2026. Photo: Turkish Presidency/via iKurd net

Serwan Zangana | Exclusive to iKurd.net

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, pledged to lift the sanctions that were imposed on Turkey in 2020 over purchasing the Russian S-400 defense missile system and intends to sell Turkey’s Erdogan the F-35 stealth fighter jet.

“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump said. Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian air defense system, the S-400, which is an advanced system, was a U.S. concern because it could expose the F-35 fighter jet’s classified features to Russia.

However, obtaining an F-35 fighter jet by Turkey can boost the Turkish Air Force’s power in the region and replenish Erdogan’s chauvinistic mindset, and hence, the Kurds will be the first target to be attacked by the fighter jet. U.S. foreign policy under Trump’s administration became another hurricane in the world that caused disasters, and apparently, the Kurds are familiar with such a disaster.

The negative view of the world is very high as the majority of people in allied countries, according to Politico, see that the U.S. is creating more problems than solving them. In Canada, 63%, and in Germany, 52%, say that the U.S. is creating more problems than solving them.

The number in France compared to Canada and Germany is lower, but it is still high as 47% of the French view the U.S. as a problem creator while only 29% of them see it as a problem solver, and 24% of people do not see it either way.

Despite Trump’s uncertainty and being undecided on readmitting Turkey to the F-35 fighter jet program, as during a press conference at NATO he stated, “I haven’t totally made up my mind…” but he lauded Erdogan and said, “but my inclination is to say, look, he’s [Erdogan] done everything, he’s helped us in so many different ways…”

Returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has changed U.S. goals and targets, which means ending the conflict between Ukraine and Russia and the Gaza peace plan have been pushed back while the focus turned to a new conflict in the world.

The decision to lift the sanctions on Turkey and allow it to obtain the stealth fighter jet F-35 is a path paving the way for Turkey to intensify attacks on the Kurds, specifically in northeastern Syria-Rojava. Erdogan’s Turkish regime has always perceived the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as a major threat. Therefore, such a decision can be seen as a reward to Erdogan and another contribution from Trump to more disasters in the region.

It is not only the Kurds who are concerned about Turkey obtaining the F-35; Israel is another U.S. ally that is strongly opposing Trump’s idea. Israel has a strong case against Erdogan for being vocal and supporting radical Muslims in the region, and indeed, harboring the Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clearly expressed his concern and opposition to the U.S. sale of F-35s to Turkey. “He threatens to destroy my country, the one and only Jewish state,” Netanyahu said about Turkish President Erdogan. Obviously, Turkey is a serious threat because of Erdogan’s intention to reinvigorate Turkish superiority and reestablish the Ottoman Empire in a modern form with a blended Turkish chauvinistic-Islamic mentality in the region.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, January 8, 2026. Photo: Turkey’s Foreign Ministry

Turkey’s threat has expanded into further areas in the region as Erdogan, in fact, positioned himself as a major power by claiming to bring peace and stability, but bloodshed has been the result of his actions. On many occasions, Turkish officials condemned Israel. Recently, the Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said that Israel “has become a burden that humanity can no longer bear.”

Israel’s concern is based on a reality of Turkey’s actions in the region and further into North Africa as, in 2020, Turkey’s Grand National Assembly approved the Turkish military intervention in Libya to support the government in its civil war. Such a military intervention included recruiting mercenaries to fight in Libya’s civil war.

However, as Trump’s strategy of focusing on Iran’s threat has become a predicament for the region, he is embracing Turkey, a powerful NATO member, and indeed catering to President Erdogan to strengthen the U.S. impact in countering the Iranian regime.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known by the name Abu Mohammed al-Golani, during a bilateral meeting alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. Photo: SANA

Apparently, Trump attended the July 2026 NATO summit because of Turkish President Erdogan, which is a turning point with Trump’s willingness to lift the sanctions and sell the F-35 fighter jet to Turkey. “I’m going because of Erdogan,” Trump said. Furthermore, Trump praised Erdogan as a “great leader.”

President Trump’s shifting policy will not only reward Turkey, but it will also boost the chauvinistic Arabic-Islamic regime of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa. In a letter to Syrian President al-Sharaa, Trump said that he notified Congress about his decision to remove Syria from the terrorism list, on which it was placed by the U.S. as a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1979.

The Kurds in northeastern Syria-Rojava have been facing a different form of threats with al-Sharaa’s opposition to a decentralized government in Syria and his denial of Kurdish political rights, which has taken the SDF to a different level of struggle and challenge. Such a challenge began with Trump’s support for the new Syrian regime of al-Sharaa.

After all, Trump’s second term became an era for radical Muslims to revive under the guise of democracy.

Serwan Zangana, a contributing writer for iKurd.net, lives in Virginia, U.S. He serves as a correction officer.

The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of iKurd.net or its editorial team.