Donald Trump says US will end $4 billion military aid to Israel by end of year
The US president announced a shift from direct security grants to military hardware sales, citing discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
What Trump announced about Israel aid
US President Donald Trump has announced that Washington will end its annual military aid to Israel at the end of 2026, cutting off nearly $4 billion in yearly security assistance.
Speaking in a phone interview on Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said Israel no longer required the funding and that the United States would transition to selling military hardware to the country instead. Trump stated that the decision followed discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claiming Netanyahu had previously approached him about phasing out the funds.
"We give them $4 billion of things and money, and they don’t need it," Trump said, adding that Washington would still step in to assist Israel if a vital need arose in the future.
Why the US is ending the aid package now
The move abruptly accelerates the timeline of a 10-year bilateral agreement signed in 2016 under former US President Barack Obama. That framework provided Israel with $3.8 billion annually in foreign military financing through 2028, along with $500 million dedicated to joint missile defence initiatives.
Trump explicitly linked the timing of the announcement to domestic politics, pointing to criticism of US foreign policy by progressive candidates ahead of the US midterm elections. He specifically cited Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Michigan, questioning why the US should face political backlash over aid that Israel no longer requires.
Public opinion in the US has shown growing debate over foreign military grants, with recent polling by Quinnipiac University indicating that 48 per cent of Americans believe Washington provides too much support to Israel.
How Israel reacted to the announcement
The announcement triggered immediate political fallout in Israel, where opposition leaders said the military establishment learned of the decision through news reports rather than official diplomatic channels. The move comes as Netanyahu tries to maintain power following the loss of his governing majority in the Knesset in recent elections.
| Figure / Body | Position on US military aid |
|---|---|
| Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister) | Advocated reducing reliance on US aid over a decade to boost military autonomy |
| Gadi Eisenkot (Opposition Leader) | Called the surprise move dangerous and said Netanyahu must be replaced |
| Yair Golan (Democrats Party Head) | Accused Netanyahu of dismantling aid and deepening Israel's security crisis |
Netanyahu had previously voiced support for reducing dependence on American security assistance. In interviews earlier this year, he indicated a desire to achieve military self-reliance within a decade, aiming to lower direct financial support to zero.
However, political rivals seized on the sudden termination. Gadi Eisenkot, a prominent opposition figure, stated that discovering changes to strategic bilateral relations through the media demonstrated dangerous leadership, calling for Netanyahu's replacement. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats opposition party, warned that dismantling the aid framework puts Israel's security and economic stability at risk.
Since 1948, Israel has received over $300 billion in inflation-adjusted US economic and military aid, making it the largest cumulative recipient of American foreign assistance.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual US security aid to Israel | $3.8 billion to $4 billion | Statement by Donald Trump and 2016 bilateral accord terms |
| Joint missile defence funding component | $500 million annually | US-Israel 10-year memorandum of understanding framework |
| Total historic US aid to Israel since 1948 | Over $300 billion (inflation-adjusted) | Council on Foreign Relations |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | US President who announced the termination of annual military aid to Israel. |
| United States | Country ending its direct military assistance grants. |
| Israel | Recipient of US foreign military financing and joint missile defence funds. |
