Fact-check analysisVerified as of August 18, 2025Curated by FactVerify
Mostly True

cancel F-35 orders amid Trump's tariff war — US defense industry loses $45 billion worth of dea

Several US allies and partners have reconsidered or pushed to cancel F-35 orders due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump's administration, causing significant financial impact on the US defense industry, though the exact $45 billion loss figure is not fully confirmed.

Trump tariff row revives calls to cancel Swiss F-35 order

Trump tariff row revives calls to cancel Swiss F-35 order

Source: aerotime.aero

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified August 18, 2025
The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The input claim that F-35 orders are being canceled amid Trump's tariff war and that the US defense industry is losing $45 billion worth of deals is largely supported by multiple recent reports from 2025. Key points include:

Spain has canceled its F-35 deal, opting for European alternatives, directly attributing the decision to trade tensions and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.firstpost.comfirstpost.comTrump’s tariff war hits US F-35 hard: Spain cancels deal, India declines and...

Switzerland is experiencing strong political opposition to its planned purchase of around three dozen F-35 jets, with politicians actively pushing to cancel the deal following the imposition of tariffs on Swiss imports by the US.bloomberg.combloomberg.comSwiss Politicians Push to Cancel F-35 Fighter-Jet Deal After US Tariffspolitico.eupolitico.euSwiss lawmakers turn against F-35 deal after Trump’s tariff bombshell+1 more

India has declined the US offer to purchase F-35 jets, choosing instead to focus on domestic defense production under its 'Make in India' initiative, a decision influenced by Trump's 25% tariff on Indian goods.economictimes.indiatimes.comeconomictimes.indiatimes.comIndia to shoot down F-35 fighter jet deal after Trump's 25% tariff salvo?timesofindia.indiatimes.comtimesofindia.indiatimes.comTrade war: No F-35 jets from US for India? Govt mulls next steps after 25%...+1 more

Canada is reconsidering its multibillion-dollar F-35 purchase due to the changing trade environment caused by the tariff war, though it has not officially canceled the contract.breakingdefense.combreakingdefense.comCanada says it's reconsidering multibillion dollar F-35 buy as Trump ratchets up...

Regarding the financial impact, while multiple sources confirm cancellations and reconsiderations of large F-35 deals, no single source explicitly quantifies the total loss as $45 billion. However, given the scale of these deals (e.g., Switzerland's order alone valued at around $25 billion), a cumulative loss figure in that range is plausible but not definitively confirmed.

In summary, Trump's tariff war has materially disrupted US F-35 export deals with key partners and allies, leading to cancellations and reconsiderations that have caused substantial financial damage to the US defense industry. The exact $45 billion figure should be treated as an estimate rather than a confirmed total loss.

Primary trail

Verified Sources7

Trump’s tariff war hits US F-35 hard: Spain cancels deal, India declines and...

firstpost.com
Open source

Canada says it's reconsidering multibillion dollar F-35 buy as Trump ratchets up...

breakingdefense.com
Open source

Swiss Politicians Push to Cancel F-35 Fighter-Jet Deal After US Tariffs

bloomberg.com
Open source
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