He gave no details, and the current agreement runs through 2028. Netanyahu’s office had not commented.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States will stop giving about $4 billion a year in aid to Israel at the end of this year, on the day of the US midterm elections.
Trump told Fox News in a phone interview that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed “months ago” to the change, that Netanyahu raised it with him, and that Israel does not need the money. He said the US would still sell weapons to Israel. He said Democrats and left-wing politicians use the aid as a talking point against Republicans, citing Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a critic of US support for Israel.
Trump did not explain how or what funding would end. The US provides $3.8 billion a year in military aid under a 10-year agreement that began in 2018 and runs through September 2028, and Congress appropriates the money. Analysts told Al Jazeera that Trump cannot end the aid unilaterally and that several missile defense and counter-drone programs cannot easily shift to foreign military sales. Netanyahu has said he expects aid to wind down over time, CNN reported, but never on such a short timeline. There was no immediate comment from his office.
Israeli opposition figures criticized Netanyahu. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, called it a “massive failure” at a time when Israel is replenishing weapons and air defenses after a long war. Avigdor Liberman said it was the price of Trump’s support for Netanyahu. The House defeated an amendment in July to cut off aid to Israel, though nearly half of Democrats voted for it.
This report draws on information from the Associated Press, ABC News, CNN, Al Jazeera and the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.