Trump says US will stop $4 billion annual aid to Israel
The US President claimed he reached a deal with Benjamin Netanyahu to end the yearly payments.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington will stop providing $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel. According to reports from Deccan Herald and Moneycontrol, Trump stated he made a deal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the payments.
Speaking to Fox News' Fox and Friends, Trump said that he and Netanyahu agreed months ago to stop the assistance. He said that by the end of this year, the US will not be paying Israel, though he added that Washington would help if they need it.
Trump claimed that Israel no longer needs the financial assistance and is capable of meeting its own defence requirements. He also noted that the US would continue to sell weapons to the country.
The President accused some Democrats and left-wing politicians of using the funding as a talking point to criticise Republicans. He specifically questioned why Washington should continue the funding while facing criticism from politicians such as Democrat Abdul El-Sayed.
The current security assistance agreement provides Israel with $3.8 billion annually until 2028. Moneycontrol reported that Netanyahu has previously expressed a desire to reduce Israel's reliance on American military assistance.
