New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked his defense minister to review the purchase of America’s F-35 fighter jet to see if there are other options “given the changing environment," a spokesman for the minister said Saturday.

Portugal has also said it is reexamining a possible purchase of American F-35 combat planes. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Canada is reviewing a major purchase of US-made F-35 combat planes amid serious tensions with the Trump administration, a spokesperson for the Canadian defence ministry told AFP on Saturday.

Canada had entered into a contract with US defence giant Lockheed Martin in June 2023 to purchase 88 F-35 jets after several delays under a $19 billion deal

Prime Minister Mark Carney has asked for a review of Canada’s plan to purchase a fleet of F-35 fighter jets. The deal with Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government is for 88 planes at a cost of about US$85 million each.

Canada is actively looking at potential alternatives to the US-built F-35 stealth fighter and will hold conversations with rival aircraft makers, Defence Minister Bill Blair said late Friday.

Portugal has also indicated that it would ditch its acquisition of F-35 jets. The stealth fighters were also offered by Trump to India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit.

The F-35 is a single-seat, single-engine, supersonic stealth strike fighter which has advanced electronic warfare and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.

Portugal said it was reconsidering purchasing the Lockheed Martin-made F-35 jet in the wake of Trump's recent policy shifts.

Canada is looking at cancelling a major portion of its purchase of U.S.-built F-35 stealth fighters and plans on opening talks with rival aircraft makers, Defence Minister Bill Blair said.

Canada is looking at possible alternatives to Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE:LMT) F-35 stealth fighters, Defense Minister Bill Blair said late Friday. Blair told the CBC that the ministry will hold discussions with other aircraft makers.