Turkey hires Ballard Partners for US lobbying services

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The Turkish Ministry of National Defence signed a one-year, $2.4 million lobbying contract with the Washington-based firm Ballard Partners on August 8, 2026. The firm, led by Brian Ballard and including former congressman Robert Wexler and former National Security Council official Thomas Boodry, was tasked with providing government relations and strategic advocacy services. This agreement was initiated as Turkey sought to rejoin the F-35 fighter jet programme, from which it was removed in 2019 following its acquisition of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems. As part of this effort, Turkey reportedly explored selling the S-400s to a third country, such as the United Arab Emirates, to facilitate the lifting of US sanctions.

Consequences

Ballard Partners is expected to navigate federal government relations and congressional policy to advocate for Turkey’s reentry into the F-35 programme. The firm’s established ties to the Trump administration and its bipartisan team, including Robert Wexler, will likely be leveraged to address existing political resistance to Turkey's reintegration.

Sources

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