From RFI · · 3m
Trump halts $3.8bn annual aid to Israel by year end
US President Donald Trump announces Washington will end its annual military assistance to Israel, saying the country does not need it.
In brief
US President Donald Trump announces Washington will end its annual military assistance to Israel, saying the country does not need it. Donald Trump announced the US will end its annual three point eight billion dollar military aid to Israel by year end, citing that Israel does not need it. Originally reported by RFI.
Trump ends Israel aid by year end
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Washington will end its annual three point eight billion dollar military aid to Israel based on a mutual decision.
Trump's reasoning on Fox News
Trump told Fox News the US gives Israel four billion dollars a year and made a deal months ago to stop. He said Israel does not need the money.
“We give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we're stopping. Why? Because they don't need it.”
Netanyahu accepts the decision
Trump said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was fine with the decision to end the aid to Israel.
Funding details remain unclear
It was not immediately clear which exact funding Trump was referring to. A memorandum of understanding provides three point eight billion dollars annual US military aid approaching expiration in two thousand twenty eight.
Trump frames aid as political liability
Trump said the Left uses the four billion dollar payment as a signal of unfairness and the US cannot allow that to happen.
“The Left uses the $4 billion payment that everybody knows about, well, it's no secret, as a signal of unfairness, and we can't allow that to happen.”
Democrats win midterm control
Trump's announcement came as Americans voted in midterm elections. Democrats gained control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Israel's long history of US aid
Since its founding in nineteen forty eight, Israel has received more than three hundred billion dollars adjusted for inflation in US economic and military assistance, far more than any other country.
Netanyahu previously wanted zero aid
Netanyahu has in the past expressed a desire to end Israel's dependence on US aid. In May he told US broadcaster CBS he wanted to reduce US support to zero.
Opposition leader attacks Netanyahu
Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot said the announcement shows Netanyahu must go, arguing Israel's defence establishment learned of the shift through media rather than direct communication.
“He can no longer be trusted and must be replaced.”
Gaza war deepens US divisions
The Israeli offensive in Gaza launched in response to Hamas's October seventh twenty twenty three attack has created deep divisions within the US over aid to Israel.
Poll shows growing US opposition
A June poll by Quinnipiac University found forty eight percent of voters and sixty six percent of Democrats believe the US is too supportive of Israel, up from sixteen and twenty percent in twenty seventeen.
Trump cites anti-Israel sentiment
Trump cited criticism from leftist Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who won Michigan's US Senate race and became the first Muslim elected to the upper chamber of Congress.
Trump questions political cost
Trump said on Fox why should the US suffer criticism from people like El-Sayed when Israel does not need the aid, calling it a bad talking point.
“Why should we suffer the slings from lunatics like an El-Sayed when they don't need it? It's a bad talking point.”
What matters most
Donald Trump announced the US will end its annual three point eight billion dollar military aid to Israel by year end, citing that Israel does not need it.
