US to End $3.8bn Annual Military Aid to Israel — Trump

United States President Donald Trump has announced that Washington will end its annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, saying the country has become sufficiently prosperous to finance more of its own defence needs.

Trump made the announcement on Tuesday, November 3, during an interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends, as Americans voted in the US midterm elections.

He said he had reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months earlier to discontinue the funding, which amounts to approximately $3.8 billion annually under the existing military assistance arrangement.

“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 said.

He added that Washington would continue selling weapons to Israel and provide assistance if necessary.

Trump argued that Israel no longer needed the financial support, describing the funding as unnecessary and saying it had become a political issue used by critics of US support for the country.

The president specifically referred to Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has opposed unconditional American military assistance to Israel.

The announcement, however, raises questions about how the proposed change would be implemented. The existing US-Israel memorandum of understanding, signed in 2016, provides for $38 billion in military assistance over 10 years, covering the 2019–2028 period.

Trump did not explain how the funding would be terminated before the agreement expires in September 2028. Under the existing arrangement, the United States provides $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing and $500 million for missile defence programmes.

Congress also plays a role in appropriating the funds, meaning the practical implications of the announcement remain unclear.

Netanyahu has previously expressed support for gradually reducing Israel’s dependence on American military assistance, although he has discussed a longer transition rather than an immediate termination.

The announcement comes amid growing debate in the United States over military support for Israel following the war in Gaza and continuing regional tensions involving Iran.

It remains unclear whether the Israeli government has formally accepted the proposed timetable or whether Washington will introduce legislative or budgetary measures to implement the change.