Trump says US will end $4 billion annual funding to Israel after 2026
The US President claimed he reached an agreement with Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the payments by the end of this year.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington will cease providing $4 billion in yearly financial support to Israel after the end of 2026. According to the Times of India, Trump claimed the nation no longer requires American financial assistance.
Speaking to Fox News, Trump stated he reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months ago to end the payments. He noted that Netanyahu had approached him regarding the conclusion of the assistance and was very understanding of the decision.
Trump mentioned that the US would still provide help if Israel required it. He described the arrangement as something that could be considered as either military aid or cash.
The announcement appears to conflict with an existing US-Israel memorandum of understanding that provides $3.8 billion in annual military aid until 2028. This current framework was established in 2016 when then-President Barack Obama signed a 10-year security agreement.
Trump also linked the decision to domestic political criticism. He said Democrats have used the $4 billion payment as a signal of unfairness to target Republicans.
Netanyahu has previously expressed a desire to reduce Israel's reliance on US assistance. In January, he told The Economist that he wanted to taper off American military aid over the next 10 years.
