Trump says U.S. will end $4 billion in annual aid to Israel

Speaking in a telephone interview on Tuesday morning, Trump said the two leaders had reached the agreement several months ago and that Israel no longer needed American financial support. He added that the United States would still assist Israel if needed and that the country could continue purchasing U.S. weapons.

The president did not specify which funding programs would be affected or how the change would be implemented. Under the current memorandum of understanding, signed in 2016, Washington pledged $38 billion in military assistance for fiscal years 2019 through 2028, subject to congressional appropriations. The annual package totals $3.8 billion: $3.3 billion in military financing and $500 million for missile defense. Congress must approve the funding each year.

Trump also accused Democrats of using U.S. assistance to Israel as a political talking point against Republicans. His comments came as Americans voted in midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

Netanyahu has repeatedly said he wants to end Israel’s reliance on American aid, although his earlier proposal envisaged a gradual reduction. In May, he said he aimed to bring U.S. financial support down to zero over the next ten years, stressing that he wanted the process to begin immediately. In June, Republican Representative Marlin Stutzman introduced a resolution supporting a shift from traditional aid toward mutual defense cooperation and joint investment.

Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign assistance since World War II. A Congressional Research Service report updated in May 2025 put the total at $174 billion in bilateral assistance and missile defense funding, not adjusted for inflation. Washington has also provided emergency military assistance beyond the regular annual package since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza.

U.S. military assistance to Israel continues to command majority support in Congress, but opposition among Democrats has grown. In July, Republican Representative Thomas Massie introduced an amendment to block $3.3 billion in security assistance to Israel. The amendment drew support from 103 Democrats, with Massie the only Republican voting in favor, and was defeated by 314 votes to 104.

A Quinnipiac University poll released in September found that 48% of registered U.S. voters believed Washington was too supportive of Israel. Among Democrats, the figure was 67%, compared with 17% among Republicans. Another 34% of voters considered U.S. support about right, while 8% said it was insufficient.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that Kazakhstan and Israel signed a convention aimed at avoiding double taxation at the 10th meeting of the Kazakhstan-Israel Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Jerusalem.