‘They don’t need it’: Trump says US will stop $4 billion in military aid to Israel this year

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he made a deal with ‌Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that Washington would no longer be providing military aid to Israel after the end of this year, arguing that the country no longer needs the assistance and can purchase its own weapons.

“We were giving them $4 billion – we are – but it gets cut off at the end of the year,” President Trump told ‘Fox & Friends’ on Tuesday morning.

“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.

Trump said in the Election Day morning announcement that the US support included “things and money”, and described it as military aid, cash or “barter”.

‘Netanyahu raised the idea’: Trump

The US president said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussed ending the assistance for years, adding that Netanyahu raised the idea.

“They don’t need it,” Trump said. “Israel is a very thriving country.”

Trump added that Israel no longer needs the aid and that some Democrats and left-wing politicians were using this US funding to Israel as a talking point to criticise Republicans.

The current US-Israel security assistance agreement provides about $3.8 billion annually through 2028. Netanyahu has previously said he wants to phase out Israel’s reliance on US military aid, though the timing and terms of any change to the agreement have not been detailed in the remarks provided.

Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of US aid since the country was founded.

At least $21.7 billion in military aid was transferred in the first two years from the October 7, 2023 attacks, which led to the war in Gaza and preceded US-Israeli strikes against Iran.