Trump to End Nearly $4 Billion in Annual US Aid to Israel by 2026
US President Donald Trump has announced that Washington will end its nearly $4 billion in annual military assistance to Israel by the end of 2026, signalling a potential shift in the longstanding defence relationship between the two countries.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said he had discussed the decision with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that the United States would still provide military assistance if Israel faced a situation requiring support.
“We've already decided that by the end of this year we won't be funding Israel. Now we will assist Israel if necessary,” Trump said.
The announcement comes ahead of the scheduled expiration of the 10-year US-Israel military aid agreement in 2028. Signed in 2016, the agreement commits Washington to providing $38 billion in assistance, including $33 billion in military financing and $5 billion for missile defence systems.
Trump said Israel no longer needed regular financial assistance from the United States. He also indicated that he and Netanyahu had agreed several months earlier to end the annual funding arrangement.
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The proposed move comes amid growing political debate in the United States over military assistance to Israel, particularly following its military operations in Gaza. Support for continued funding has faced criticism from some Democratic lawmakers and political candidates.
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Trump linked the decision to domestic political pressure, arguing that Democrats had used US military assistance to Israel as a campaign issue. He specifically referred to Michigan Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed, who has publicly criticised American military aid to Israel.
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The announcement raises questions about the future structure of US-Israel defence cooperation, particularly whether Washington will replace regular annual funding with military assistance provided only when considered necessary. However, further details about how the proposed policy would be implemented have not been announced.