Portugal is reconsidering its strategy for the acquisition of fighter jets because of the political turnaround in the US over its commitment to NATO.

The European country wants to secure greater defense autonomy and reduce its dependence on U.S. military equipment.

The decision comes after Trump questioned the level of U.S. financial support for the alliance and criticized the European financial contribution.

Defense Minister Nuno Melo has confirmed that Portugal will abandon the project to acquire Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.

Instead of the F-35, Portugal is studying European alternatives such as Dassault's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Saab Gripen or the Turkish KAAN.

Any of the three options is cheaper and more operational than an F-35 which is priced at around $82M per aircraft and $33,000 per flight hour.

The F-16 currently used by the Portuguese air force is priced and maintained at four times less than the F-35.

In addition, Washington could impose operational restrictions on the F-35, including access to software upgrades and critical components.

Now, the big favorite is the Rafale, a French 4.5-generation fighter, so maneuverable that it can perform a wide range of missions.

Another option is the Eurofighter Typhoon, built by a European consortium and designed for air superiority and surface attack missions.

The Saab Gripen E/F is an easy-to-maintain Swedish fighter, designed to be highly maneuverable, efficient and capable of adapting to a variety of missions.

Finally, the KAAN stealth fighter, which is being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, could be a long-term option for Portugal.