President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will stop providing roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of the year, claiming he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to the move months ago.
Trump made the announcement during a phone interview with Fox News on Election Day, saying Israel has become “a very successful country” that no longer needs the money. “We give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” Trump said. “They don’t need it. And we won’t be paying anymore to Israel.”
The Political Calculation
Trump framed the decision as a response to Democratic attacks, specifically citing Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive Democrat who has criticized US support for Israel. “It’s a political topic that’s bad for us,” Trump said, according to reports. “The left is using the $4 billion—which is no secret—as a symbol of unfairness. We can’t let that happen.”
The announcement came on the final day of midterm voting, as Democrats sought to make Israel aid and the Gaza war a campaign issue. A Quinnipiac poll from June found that 48% of voters believed the US was providing too much support to Israel, up sharply from 16% in 2017.
The Details
The US has provided Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid under a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016, set to expire in 2028. Trump’s statement suggests he intends to terminate the agreement early, though it remains unclear exactly what funding would be cut and how the move would be implemented.
Trump said the decision originated with Netanyahu, who has reportedly expressed a desire for Israel to achieve full defense independence within a decade. Axios reported in July that Netanyahu presented Trump with a plan to phase out US military aid over 10 years.
Trump added that the US would still help Israel if needed and that Israel could continue purchasing American weapons. “They can buy whatever they want,” he said. “We make the best weapons in the world.”
The Bottom Line
President Trump says the US will end roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, claiming he and Netanyahu agreed to the move months ago. Trump framed the decision as a political calculation, citing Democratic criticism of Israel aid on Election Day. The US has provided Israel with $3.8 billion annually under a memorandum set to expire in 2028. It remains unclear how the early termination would be implemented.
