Donald Trump, US President says Washington will stop providing its annual financial assistance to Israel after the end of 2026, announcing an agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister that could mark a significant change in the two countries’ longstanding military relationship.
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Trump made the statement during an interview with Fox News’ Fox & Friends on Tuesday, as Americans began voting in the US midterm elections. He said the two leaders had reached an agreement months ago to end the annual payments, which he put at $4 billion.
“Now, as far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4bn a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” Trump said.
“We’ve already agreed that by the end of this year we won’t be paying Israel. Now, we’ll help Israel if they need it,” he added.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to all forms of US assistance or specifically military aid. The White House had not provided further details, while the US Department of State did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither Netanyahu’s office nor Israel’s foreign ministry had publicly confirmed the arrangement.
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Trump linked the announcement to growing criticism of US support for Israel within American politics, citing Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has been outspoken in his opposition to continued military assistance.
“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don’t need it? It’s a bad, it’s a bad talking point,” Trump said.
He also claimed Netanyahu had initiated the proposal, saying the Israeli prime minister believed it would be appropriate for Israel to stop receiving the funding.
Congress holds key to any aid withdrawal
Despite Trump’s announcement, ending US assistance to Israel may prove more complicated than his comments suggest. Much of the funding is appropriated by Congress, meaning the president cannot simply terminate the existing commitments unilaterally.
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Thomas Warrick, director of the Future of DHS Project at the Atlantic Council, questioned whether the proposed timeline was realistic, pointing to ongoing military programmes that would be difficult to terminate quickly.
“President Trump will probably not cut off US military aid to Israel by the end of 2026,” Warrick told Al Jazeera.
He said the two governments could agree to phase out military assistance, but existing cooperation on missile defence and counter-drone systems would complicate an immediate withdrawal.
“So I expect military assistance will be phased out during 2027. But not by the end of 2026,” he added.
The timing could also affect a proposed expansion of US-Israeli defence cooperation. A provision in the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, passed by the House of Representatives in July, seeks to deepen collaboration between the two militaries on weapons research, production and technology.
The United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative, included as Section 219 of the bill, has drawn criticism from lawmakers and policy experts concerned about the implications for US oversight and military commitments.
Debra Shushan, a senior resident affiliate at Georgetown University’s Center for Jewish Civilisation, told Al Jazeera that if the Senate failed to pass the defence bill during its lame-duck session, the initiative could face greater difficulty if Democrats gained control of Congress.
Shushan also criticised the proposed defence integration, arguing that it could weaken Washington’s leverage over Israeli military decisions, while raising concerns about human rights conditions, transparency and access to sensitive US technology.
Israel aid becomes a bigger political issue
Trump’s announcement comes amid growing divisions in the United States over military support for Israel, particularly following the war in Gaza, which began after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel in October 2023.
Public support for Israel has declined, especially among Democratic voters, putting pressure on politicians who have traditionally supported continued military assistance.
A Quinnipiac University poll in June found that 48 percent of American voters and 66 percent of Democrats believed the US was too supportive of Israel. The corresponding figures were 16 percent and 20 percent when the question was asked in 2017.
The debate has also exposed divisions within both political parties. In July, the House of Representatives rejected an amendment seeking to cut off aid to Israel by 314 votes to 104, although nearly half of Democratic lawmakers supported the measure.
The announcement has since attracted criticism from some of Trump’s political opponents, including former Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who questioned whether the timing was intended to influence voters.
“Trump getting permission from Netanyahu to end annual aid to Israel isn’t going to change today’s election results,” Greene wrote on X.
For Israel, the prospect of losing annual US assistance raises questions about the future of its military financing and defence cooperation with Washington. For the Trump administration, the announcement comes as support for Israel has become an increasingly divisive issue in American politics.
However, until Congress, the White House and the Israeli government clarify the scope and terms of the proposed arrangement, it remains uncertain whether the announcement will lead to an immediate end to US aid or a longer transition in the two countries’ military relationship.
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Faith Omoboye is a foreign affairs correspondent with background in History and International relations. Her work focuses on African politics, diplomacy, and global governance.
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