Politics
Trump says US will cut annual aid to Israel by December, citing deal with Netanyahu
By Jewish Life Staff, . Jewish Life.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday morning that the United States will halt its approximately $4 billion in annual assistance to Israel by the end of 2026, a statement that could mark a significant shift in one of America's longest-standing foreign-aid relationships. He made the remarks during a call-in appearance on Fox News's "Fox & Friends" program, hours after polls opened for the American midterm elections.
What Trump said
"Now, as far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we're stopping," Trump told Fox News, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post. He said Israel would still be free to buy American weapons and could receive additional help if circumstances required it.
Trump attributed the proposal to Netanyahu himself. "He brought it up. He said, 'I think it would be appropriate if we do not receive aid,' because he understands that this is one of their points of contention," Trump said, according to the Algemeiner. Trump called Israel "a very successful country" that no longer needs American assistance, Haaretz reported.
When Fox News hosts pressed him to specify whether he meant military aid, direct financial assistance, or weapons deliveries, Trump did not offer further detail, the Jerusalem Post reported.
The political backdrop
Trump was explicit that domestic politics shaped the decision. He argued that continued aid had become a talking point for Democrats critical of Israel, singling out Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate candidate in Michigan, where Israel policy has become a central issue in a closely contested race. "Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don't need it?" Trump said, as quoted by the Algemeiner.
The announcement came as voters across the country were deciding control of the House of Representatives and the Senate, JTA reported. A growing number of Democratic congressional candidates have campaigned on reducing or halting military aid to Israel, the report noted.
What is unclear
Israel's ten-year memorandum of understanding with the United States, which provides $3.8 billion annually, runs through 2028, JTA reported. The publication said Trump's Election Day comments did not make clear how he would implement the cuts or whether he remains fully committed to them.
The Jerusalem Post noted that Netanyahu said in May that he wanted to gradually phase out American military aid over the next decade, a position Trump appeared to reference when he said Netanyahu had raised the issue over "a couple of years." The Post also reported that Trump's announcement raises a major question about what happens to the existing assistance agreement before its scheduled end date.
The Algemeiner described the announcement as coming "amid growing divisions within both American political parties over support for Israel," particularly following the Gaza war and the broader confrontation with Iran.
Sources
1. Trump: US will stop funding to Israel after end of 2026, will 'help Israel if they need it', jpost.com
2. Trump Says US Will Stop Giving $4B in Military Aid to Israel by Year's End, algemeiner.com
3. Trump says U.S. will end annual aid to Israel by year's end, haaretz.com
4. Trump says US aid to Israel will stop at the end of the year, jta.org