WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will stop providing annual financial and military assistance to Israel by the end of 2026, claiming that he reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the funding.
Speaking to Fox News' Fox & Friends on Tuesday, Trump said the two leaders had agreed months ago to discontinue the assistance, which he put at around $4 billion annually.
"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," Trump said.
Trump argued that Israel had become economically successful and no longer required American financial assistance. However, he clarified that the decision would not prevent Israel from purchasing American weapons.
The announcement could mark a significant shift in the decades-long US-Israel security relationship. The existing 10-year military assistance agreement provides Israel with approximately $3.8 billion annually and runs through 2028.
Netanyahu had previously expressed interest in gradually phasing out Israel's dependence on American military aid. However, there has been no immediate confirmation from his office of the specific agreement and timeline announced by Trump.
The US president also linked the decision to domestic political debates, arguing that American financial assistance to Israel had become a talking point for Democratic politicians criticising Republican policies.
The announcement comes amid growing debate in the United States over military assistance to Israel following the Gaza war.