Trump axes US$3.8b annual military aid for Israel: ‘they no longer need it’

US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will cease providing $4 billion annually in funding to Israel by the end of 2026, according to remarks made to Fox News's 'Fox and Friends'. In this conversation, Trump stated that Israel no longer required the financial assistance and revealed that the deal to end the funding had been reached months ago with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Trump also clarified that the US would continue to assist Israel if necessary, stating, "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." However, the specific nature of the funding Trump referred to remained unclear. It is worth noting that a memorandum of understanding providing $3.8 billion in annual US military aid to Israel is set to expire in 2028, prompting discussions on how Washington's assistance to Israel would evolve beyond that date.

Netanyahu had previously expressed a desire to reduce Israel's reliance on US military support, stating in a May interview with CBS that he hoped to wean Israel off US military aid within a decade. In a June letter to a US congressman, Netanyahu wrote that it was time for Israel to transition from being an aid recipient to becoming a partner.

US public opinion regarding Israel has shifted in recent years, particularly among Democrats. A June Quinnipiac University poll revealed that 48% of voters and 66% of Democrats believe the United States is overly supportive of Israel, compared to 16% and 20% when the question was first asked in 2017. The poll also indicated that support for Israel had diminished among Democratic voters, with candidates critical of Israel performing well in Democratic primaries, and even moderate lawmakers showing a willingness to challenge decades of US support for Israel.

Trump attributed this shift in opinion to the continued US financial support for Israel, arguing that it was being used as an unfair talking point against Republicans.