U.S. President Donald Trump has said Washington could end its annual military assistance to Israel by the end of this year, arguing that the country no longer needs American support.
Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday morning, Election Day, Trump described U.S. aid to Israel as an increasingly difficult political issue for Republicans, questioning why his party should face criticism over the funding when Israel is capable of financing its own defense needs.
“It’s a bad political argument, because when you say, ‘Why don’t we give everybody $4 billion?’ Israel is our number one partner; we give them more than anybody else, and they don’t need it anymore,” Trump said.
The United States currently provides Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military assistance under a 10-year memorandum of understanding that began in 2018 and is due to expire in 2028. Trump’s remarks appear to suggest that he intends to bring the arrangement to an end earlier, potentially by December 2026.
Trump said he would continue providing assistance if Israel needed the money, but added that he had reached an understanding with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The last publicly reported phone call between the two leaders took place on Saturday. It remains unclear whether they have spoken since then. CNN said it had contacted Netanyahu’s office and the White House for clarification.
Netanyahu has previously spoken openly about the eventual end of American military assistance, although he has not suggested such a short timetable.
In May, the United States and Israel began formal discussions on a new agreement to replace the existing memorandum of understanding. However, it remains unclear whether the two sides have reached an agreed framework.
Just days before last week’s elections, Netanyahu told an Israeli television channel that the end of American aid was inevitable.
“If you think we will continue receiving what I secured twice, tens of billions of dollars in American assistance for the defense budget, get used to the fact that we will no longer receive it,” Netanyahu said.
In March 2025, the Trump administration also authorized a separate $4 billion military assistance package for Israel following the collapse of a second ceasefire in Gaza.
Asked by Fox News whether he was referring to ending $4 billion in military assistance or direct financial payments, Trump responded: “However you want to define it.”
“You can consider it a barter arrangement. You can consider it military aid or cash. What we give them — $4 billion in equipment and money — and they don’t need it. And Bibi Netanyahu came to me, and we’ve been talking about this for several years because it’s a lot of money,” Trump said.
He added that Israel was capable of purchasing whatever it needed independently.
Trump’s comments raise questions about the future of the long-standing U.S.-Israel military assistance arrangement, particularly as both governments have been discussing the terms of a potential successor agreement.
