Trump Says United States Will End Military Aid to Israel

Donald Trump announced that the United States will end its four billion dollar annual financial and military assistance to Israel by the end of 2026.

Speaking in a telephone interview with Fox News on Election Day, Trump stated that Israel no longer requires American financial support because it has become a thriving country. Trump asserted that the initiative to end the assistance originated from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he discussed the matter over the past two years.

The announcement diverges from the current ten-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016, which runs through 2028 and commits the United States to providing 3.8 billion dollars annually in military aid. Trump also linked the decision to domestic political criticism, stating that opposition figures and progressive candidates have utilized the payments as a talking point against Republicans.

Netanyahu's office offered no immediate comment on the remarks, while Israeli opposition leaders offered mixed assessments. Yair Golan warned that halting the assistance would deal a severe security blow to the country, whereas Gadi Eisenkot argued that the surprise announcement demonstrated that Netanyahu can no longer be trusted and must be replaced.