As of about 10:50 AM IST (05:20 GMT), Wednesday 4 November 2026. Figures are attributed to the sources that published them; anything not independently confirmed is flagged.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday 3 November that Washington will stop giving Israel about $4 billion a year in funding after the end of 2026, saying he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to it "months ago". He said the United States would still sell weapons to Israel and would "help Israel if they need it".
Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News' "Fox & Friends", Reuters and Fox News reported. He did not explain how the funding would be halted at year-end, and the existing agreement that underpins the aid does not expire until 2028.
What Trump said
- "Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we're stopping," Trump said, according to Reuters. "We've already agreed that by the end of this year we won't be paying Israel."
- He argued that Israel no longer needs the money and can buy its own weapons, Xinhua and Fox News reported.
- He said left-wing critics had used the aid as a "bad talking point" against Republicans, and named Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who opposes unconditional military aid to Israel.
What the current deal says
The 10-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed in 2016 under President Barack Obama and covering 2019 to 2028, provides $3.8 billion in US military aid to Israel each year. Reuters reported that it does not expire until September 2028. Congress passed a law in 2020 authorising the funding, but the House and Senate still have to pass appropriations bills every year to release the money.
That means it is not yet clear how an end-of-2026 cut-off would work in practice, or whether it would need action by Congress. Neither the White House nor Netanyahu's office responded to Reuters' requests for comment.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current aid under the MOU | $3.8 billion a year (Trump cited "$4 billion") |
| MOU period | 2019 to 2028; expires September 2028, per Reuters |
| Trump's stated end date | End of 2026 |
| Weapons sales | Will continue, Trump said |
Netanyahu had signalled a wind-down
Netanyahu has already said he expects US aid to decline over time. In an October interview with an Israeli TV channel, quoted by Reuters, he said: "If you think we're going to continue receiving what I secured twice... prepare yourselves and get used to the fact that it won't happen because America has changed." Earlier, he told US interviewers he wanted to bring American financial support "down to zero", though he described it as a phase-down over years rather than an immediate stop.
Reaction in Israel and Washington
- Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief whom Israel's main opposition leaders agreed on Tuesday to back as the next prime minister, wrote on X that the security establishment was "learning about a change in the strategic relationship framework through the media", and said Netanyahu "must" be replaced.
- Don Bacon, a Republican congressman, told CNN: "What I really had heartburn about is the Israelis didn't know about it."
- Ro Khanna, a progressive Democrat, said on X that "Zero aid Israel" would be part of his party's agenda.
- Jon Alterman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies questioned the timing, noting it came on Election Day and amid speculation about a possible new US-Israeli strike on Iran.
Why it matters
US military aid has been a pillar of the relationship for decades. The announcement comes as Israel's own politics are unsettled: in the 27 October election, Netanyahu's bloc lost its majority, and coalition talks are expected to be long. On Wednesday, President Isaac Herzog was due to begin consultations with party leaders before choosing who will try to form the next government, Xinhua reported.
It also comes during the confrontation with Iran. Iran's armed forces chief, Ali Abdollahi, warned on Tuesday that Iran would respond to any threat from the US and Israel "immediately" and "without geographical limitations", according to Iranian media cited by Xinhua.
What to watch
- Whether the White House publishes details, or asks Congress to change appropriations, to end the funding early.
- Any official response from Netanyahu's office.
- Talks on what US-Israeli defence cooperation looks like after 2028, including a defence-technology provision in the House's 2027 defence bill, reported by Reuters.
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