US to Cut $3.8 Billion in Annual Israeli Aid After 2026
President Trump agreed to stop payments this year, citing a proposal from Prime Minister Netanyahu to neutralize a Democratic campaign argument.
By Megan Ivanov ·
The United States will halt $3.8 billion in annual financial assistance to Israel after the end of 2026, President Trump announced on Tuesday. The decision ends a decade of funding established in a 2016 agreement that currently runs through fiscal year 2028.
Trump stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initiated the proposal. The Israeli leader suggested that ceasing the aid would remove a key point of contention for Democratic opponents. Trump described the funding as the best talking point for the left, specifically referencing Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has centered his campaign on the issue.
The president argued that Israel no longer requires the money. He noted that the United States provides more aid to Israel than any other nation and characterized the country as thriving. Trump said he would continue the payments if Israel truly needed them, but he determined they did not.
While the annual grant will stop, commercial arms sales will continue. Trump confirmed that Israel can purchase any American weapons it desires. He highlighted new US production facilities for Patriot and Tomahawk systems, which he mentioned during an interview on Fox & Friends.
The announcement coincides with the midterm elections, where voters will decide control of Congress. Trump did not specify if the end of the current year marks the exact final payment date or if the agreement will simply end early relative to the 2028 contract expiration.
Source: New York Post
