A senior US official said Washington's Ambassador to Ankara Thomas Barrack, along with defense and state department officials, directly briefed Congress on the sale of engines for the Turkish-made KAAN fighter jet.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Trump administration is committed to absolute transparency in its relations with Congress, and that "Ambassador Barrack and officials from the defense and state departments provided direct briefings to Congress on this matter."
The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that the Trump administration planned to bypass Congress's decision on the KAAN engine sale and had notified Congress of its intent. An official quoted by the newspaper described the move as a sign of the "close relationship" between President Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Responding to a question on the sale of F-35 fighter jets and the KAAN engine, Trump said, "I think I will. Turkey is a NATO member. Some don't see it that way, but it really is. It's a strong NATO member. And I will probably do something that will make President Erdogan very happy."
Separately, House Democrat Gregory Meeks said in a statement on Congress's website that the US administration had informed him "late last night that it would again bypass congressional review to provide over $700 million in defense equipment to the Turkish military."
KAAN is a fifth-generation fighter jet developed by TUSAS, capable of air-to-air combat missions and precision strikes from internal weapons bays at supersonic speeds.
Trump, during his meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House the day prior, announced he would attend the 36th NATO Summit hosted by Ankara on July 7-8, attributing the decision to his respect for President Erdogan.
