Middle East & North Africa
Trump: the US will stop its $4 billion a year in aid to Israel at the end of 2026, under a deal with Netanyahu
Speaking to Fox News on US midterm election day, Donald Trump said Washington will end its $4 billion annual funding to Israel after this year under an agreement made with Benjamin Netanyahu months ago. He added that the US will help Israel if it needs it.
Donald Trump announced on Tuesday, November 3, the day of the US midterm elections, that Washington will stop financial support to Israel after the end of the year. Speaking on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends”, he said the decision is the result of an agreement reached months ago with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“As far as payments to Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal: we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we agreed months ago that we stop,” the US president said. “We’ve already agreed that by the end of the year we’re not paying Israel anymore.” He added that the Israelis “have no problem with that” because their country “has become very successful” and “doesn’t need it”.
“We will help Israel if it needs it”
Trump took care to make clear this is not an abandonment of the ally. “We will help Israel if it needs it,” he said, calling it a “great ally” and the relationship between the two countries “excellent”. Israel will be able to buy whatever weapons it wants, while, if Israel does end up needing help, the US president said he will continue to provide it.
He also said some Democrats and left-wing politicians use US funding for Israel as an argument to criticise Republicans. Netanyahu’s office did not immediately comment. The Israeli prime minister has said in the past that his aim is to gradually reduce US military aid so that it stops entirely in the coming years.
If implemented, the change would mark a significant turn in a decades-old policy under which the US gives Israel billions of dollars every year, mainly for its defence. The announcement comes as Israel is in political uncertainty after the Knesset elections, with Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc both contesting the 61-seat majority; see our report on the election count.
Qeshm: “Just a small attack”
In the same interview Trump also commented on the overnight American strikes on Qeshm island, which US officials described as “defensive”. “They have no anti-aircraft assets. We took some out last night, just a small attack. It wasn’t war,” he said, referring to an air-defence installation that, he said, Iran had recently built. “As soon as it was finished, we hit it.” He added that the US is “not looking to kill lots of people” in Iran, while asked about an attack on Iran after the midterms he answered: “We’ll see.”
