Trump says U.S. will stop $4B annual aid to Israel this year
The president announced the halt on Election Day, citing political pressure from Democrats, despite a 2028 expiration date for the current aid memorandum.
By James Mitchell ·
U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that Washington will cease providing $4 billion in annual funding to Israel at the end of 2026. He stated that the United States will continue to sell weapons to the country but will stop the direct financial transfers.
The announcement arrived as American voters cast ballots in the midterm elections. Trump described the move as a response to criticism from left-wing Democrats. He argued that the funding had become a negative talking point against Republicans regarding military support for Israel.
During an interview on Fox & Friends, Trump said he reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months prior. “We’ve already agreed that by the end of this year we won’t be paying Israel,” Trump told the program. He added that the U.S. would still assist Israel if necessary.
The timing of the statement raised questions among analysts. The current memorandum of understanding authorizes $3.8 billion in military aid annually and does not expire until September 2028. Trump did not explain the legal mechanism for halting the funds before that date.
Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies noted the coincidence of the announcement with the election. “Why did President Trump announce it on Election Day?” Alterman asked. He also pointed to ongoing speculation about a potential joint U.S.-Israeli strike against Iran.
Natan Sachs, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, suggested Trump aimed to remove the aid issue from political debate. He said the president wanted to tell critics that the matter was already resolved.
Public opinion on U.S. support for Israel has shifted since the October 2023 attack by Hamas. A June poll by Quinnipiac University found that 48 percent of all voters and 66 percent of Democrats believe the U.S. is too supportive of Israel. In 2017, those figures were 16 percent and 20 percent, respectively.
Trump specifically cited Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed in his comments. El-Sayed, who opposes unconditional military aid, represents a Democratic faction critical of Israel. Trump called the criticism “slings from lunatics” and stated he could not allow that narrative to persist.
In Israel, political uncertainty persists following the October 27 election. Netanyahu lost his governing majority but remains in power as negotiations for a new government continue. Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the rival bloc, criticized the announcement on social media. He called the news coverage of the strategic change “a genuine danger” and urged for a replacement of the current leadership.
Congress passed a law in 2020 authorizing the funding, but annual appropriations bills are required to release the money. The House recently passed a provision in the 2027 National Defence Authorization Act to deepen military technology ties. Dozens of nonprofit organizations have labeled this provision “exceptionally dangerous” and urged lawmakers to remove it.
