US President Donald Trump said that Washington would end its annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026. This concerns a package worth $3.8 billion annually, agreed under a 10-year memorandum totaling $38 billion.
“Benjamin Netanyahu and I reached an agreement. We give Israel $4 billion a year and we agreed to stop,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News. He added that Israel “no longer needs” the funds and that Washington would continue to sell weapons to the country.
The statement was made on November 3, the day of the US midterm elections. Trump also linked the issue to domestic political criticism of Republicans over US support for Israel. According to him, the aid had become a political argument for Democrats.
Discrepancy with the Existing Agreement
The existing memorandum between the US and Israel covers fiscal years 2019–2028 and provides for $3.8 billion in annual military aid. This means that the agreed framework does not expire at the end of 2026, as Trump’s statement suggests, but in 2028.
No specific mechanisms for ending the funding before the memorandum expires have been announced. The US Congress plays an important role in approving and allocating the funds, raising additional questions about the implementation of the announcement.
According to The Associated Press, the aid is linked to the long-term military cooperation between the two countries, including the maintenance of Israel’s missile defense and purchases from the US arms industry. According to the agency, Trump spoke of approximately $4 billion, while the official annual amount under the current agreement is $3.8 billion.
Arms Sales Will Continue
Trump did not announce a halt to arms deals. According to him, Israel will be able to purchase US weapons but will not receive the annual funding under the previous model.
This distinction is significant, as ending grant or budgetary aid would not mean the end of the military partnership between Washington and Jerusalem. However, it is unclear whether a new form of cooperation will be agreed after 2026.
Reactions in Israel were cautious. Opposition leader Yair Golan said that ending US military aid would deliver a “heavy blow to Israel’s security,” particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing regional conflicts. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera noted that there is skepticism surrounding Trump’s announcement because of the discrepancy with the current term of the agreement and the lack of details on its implementation.
Sources: aljazeera.com, apnews.com, abcnews.com