Trump Says US Will End Annual Aid to Israel After 2026

President Donald Trump said on November 3, 2026, that the United States will stop providing annual funding to Israel after the end of the year under an agreement reached with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a telephone interview with Fox News, Trump described the arrangement as ending approximately $4 billion in assistance while continuing to sell weapons and offer help if needed.

Trump stated that the deal was made months earlier and that Israel no longer requires the funding. He linked the announcement to domestic political considerations, noting that some Democrats had used the aid as a criticism of Republicans. The statement came on Election Day as voters went to the polls in the midterm contests that later produced Democratic majorities in both chambers of Congress.

The existing memorandum of understanding that provides roughly $3.8 billion annually in military assistance to Israel runs through 2028. Trump did not detail the precise mechanism for ending the payments before that date. Israeli officials have not issued a formal public confirmation of the specific terms described by Trump. Netanyahu has previously said he supports drawing down US financial support over time, though earlier comments referred to a longer transition period.

The announcement arrives amid ongoing regional tensions involving Iran and after the midterm results that shifted control of Congress. With Democrats holding both the House and Senate from January 2027, any new aid packages or modifications to existing agreements will face a different legislative environment. Trump emphasized that the United States would still assist Israel when required and that commercial arms sales would continue.

Analysts noted that an abrupt cutoff would require congressional action and coordination with existing multi-year appropriations. Conversations about the post-2028 framework for US-Israel security cooperation have been underway for some time. The public statement on November 3 accelerated discussion of those timelines.

The aid has long been a fixed element of the bilateral relationship. Changes in its scale or structure would affect Israeli defense planning and US budget allocations. Trump framed the decision as reflecting Israel's economic strength and reducing a domestic political liability. Further clarification from both governments is expected as the year-end approaches.