PUBLISHED on August 13, 2025, 1:32 PM EDT – A deal between the U.S. and Switzerland to sell 36 F-35 jets may be in jeopardy, according to a series of media reports.
According to SwissInfo, the Swiss government “has been unable to push through a fixed-price deal,” while the U.S. is “sticking to its position” that will result in additional costs for Switzerland.
“Intensive talks with high-ranking representatives of the White House” did not lead to a deal, Switzerland’s Federal Council said in a statement this week.
“As a result of the talks, Switzerland must accept that the price per production batch corresponds to the value negotiated between the US government and Lockheed Martin,” the government statement added.
It even led to a phone conversation between Defence Minister Martin Pfister and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, which did not lead to a deal.
Political Pressure and F-35
SwissInfo had reported earlier this month that Swiss politicians across parties had been pushing to cancel the F-35 deal altogether, in retaliation for U.S. tariffs.
“Voices that demand the Swiss withdraw or at least reconsider their planned purchase, which could cost as much as 7.3 billion Swiss francs ($9.1 billion), have gained traction in Bern after Trump followed through with imposing a 39% tariff rate on the European country,” that report said.
“A country which throws rocks at us in trade shouldn’t get a present,” Green lawmaker Balthasar Glättli said this week, per the SwissInfo story.
Cedric Wermuth, co-president of the Swiss Social Democrats, called for a “renewed plebiscite.”
“I don’t know how our people will accept the purchase of F-35 fighter jets at prices higher than originally assumed — especially after the American tariff shock,” Hans-Peter Portmann, a Liberal lawmaker, said in the SwissInfo story.
Part of a Pattern
Per an MSNBC blog post, this is part of a pattern of F-35 sales being jeopardized, amid the Trump tariff wars.
The piece first noted that in 2021, French President Macron had encouraged Switzerland to purchase Dassault Rafale jets from France, advice that the Swiss rejected in favor of making a deal for the F-35s.
“In hindsight, the decision isn’t holding up especially well,” MSNBC wrote.
Reuters reported this week that Spain had “ruled out” buying F-35s, instead choosing between “European-made Eurofighter and the so-called Future Combat Air System (FCAS).”
This is possibly crucial since Spain is ramping up military spending in order to meet the NATO target of 2 percent of GDP on defense spending.
“Foreign military sales are government-to-government transactions, and this matter is best addressed by the U.S. or Spanish government,” Lockheed Martin said in a statement in the Reuters story.
A Different Story in Canada
There’s also a debate over F-35 purchases in Canada, another country engaged in a tariff war with the United States.
Last week, also according to Reuters, Canadian defense officials recommended that the Canadian government follow through on its deal to purchase 88 F-35s, rather than split the order. The original deal had been made back in 2010.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who had requested the review, will make the final decision on whether to proceed with the sale.
“Ottawa has made a legal commitment of funds for the first 16 F-35 aircraft. Although Carney made clear in March that Canada could seriously look at buying the remaining 72 planes from non-U.S. companies, the Defense Ministry review concluded there was no military sense in splitting the order,” the Reuters report said.
“The F-35 is the most advanced fighter of its type, and buying another jet from a European rival would incur extra costs in training, supplies, and maintenance. The Canadian Armed Forces are highly integrated with their U.S. counterparts.”
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has authored thousands of articles that focus on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
Military Matters
The F-22 Raptor Just Keeps Getting Better