Israel’s prime minister endorsed President Donald Trump’s proposal to end direct American military assistance, although the accelerated timeline has raised questions about existing defense agreements and future weapons funding.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office signaled support Friday, Nov. 6, for President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States will end approximately $3.8 billion in annual military assistance to Israel, describing the decision as a transition toward a strategic partnership rather than a reduction in cooperation between the two countries. The announcement follows Trump’s disclosure earlier this week that he and Netanyahu had reached an agreement to terminate the longstanding financial arrangement by the end of 2026, two years before the existing U.S.-Israel military assistance agreement is scheduled to expire.
In a statement posted Friday on X and reported by The Times of Israel, Netanyahu’s office defended the history of American military assistance while emphasizing Israel’s economic strength and its ability to finance its own defense requirements.
“U.S. military aid to Israel has always been a cross-the-aisle agreement,” the statement said. “Israel has used it both to defend itself and to confront enemies who threaten America and the West. Today, Israel has a strong and stable economy.”
The prime minister’s office added that the decision “shows the strength and sophistication of our relationship, and its ability to adapt and stand strong over time,” characterizing the arrangement as a move from “aid to partnership.”
The response came three days after Trump disclosed the agreement during a Nov. 3 interview on Fox News, conducted as Americans voted in the midterm elections. The president said he and Netanyahu had discussed ending financial assistance months earlier and argued that Israel’s economic development had reduced its dependence on American support.
“I made a deal with Netanyahu that we’re going to stop giving Israel $4 billion a year. We’re not going to pay Israel anymore,” Trump said, according to Ynet’s report on the announcement and Israel’s response.
Trump also suggested that eliminating the annual payments would remove a political issue that Democrats had used against Republicans during election campaigns. The president maintained that the United States would continue its close defense relationship with Israel, including sales of American military equipment, even as direct financial assistance ended.
The decision marks a potential departure from decades of American policy under which Israel has received substantial military financing to purchase U.S.-made aircraft, weapons and other defense systems. The current memorandum of understanding, signed in 2016 during President Barack Obama’s administration, provides $38 billion in military assistance over 10 years, including approximately $3.3 billion annually in foreign military financing and $500 million for missile defense programs. That agreement is scheduled to remain in effect through September 2028.
The accelerated termination date has created uncertainty among Israeli defense and financial officials, some of whom reportedly learned about the proposed change through Trump’s public remarks. According to The Jerusalem Post, Israel’s Defense Ministry and Finance Ministry had not been informed of a finalized arrangement that would end the assistance earlier than expected, despite its potential consequences for military procurement and future spending commitments.
Israeli diplomatic officials have sought to clarify the situation, indicating that discussions between the two governments remain ongoing and that the transition’s specific terms have not been finalized. Netanyahu had previously expressed support for gradually reducing Israel’s dependence on American military assistance over approximately a decade, rather than eliminating the funding immediately.
The prime minister’s spokesman, Doron Spielman, reinforced that position during an appearance on Fox News, explaining that Netanyahu had been working with Trump to develop a different framework for bilateral defense cooperation.
“While this aid has been incredibly important, the prime minister has been working with President Trump to make the correct transition out from aid towards partnership and mutual investment,” Spielman said.
An abrupt end to the existing financial arrangement could require significant changes to Israel’s defense budget. American assistance has supported major weapons purchases, including aircraft, ammunition and advanced military technology, while funding joint development and production of missile defense systems. Without the annual grants, Israel would have to finance more of those programs through its own budget or negotiate alternative arrangements with Washington.
The shift could also affect American defense manufacturers because much of the military assistance provided to Israel must be spent on equipment produced by U.S. companies. Existing contracts and weapons deliveries frequently extend over multiple years, meaning the financial implications would depend on whether previously authorized purchases remain protected under any revised agreement.
The proposed change has drawn concern from some Israeli officials. President Isaac Herzog said Thursday that Trump’s announcement “hit me like a bolt out of the blue,” citing the existing agreement’s 2028 expiration date. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee also acknowledged uncertainty about whether the assistance would end immediately or continue until the current agreement expires.
According to The Associated Press, Trump and Netanyahu have discussed replacing the traditional aid structure with expanded cooperation involving defense technology, weapons production and other joint investments. Such an approach could preserve important aspects of the military relationship while reducing Israel’s reliance on direct American funding.
The announcement comes amid broader changes in Washington following Tuesday’s midterm elections, which gave Democrats control of both chambers of Congress beginning in January. U.S. assistance to Israel has historically received bipartisan support, although disagreements over military funding and American involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts have intensified in recent years.
Congress would retain an important role in determining how the proposed changes are implemented, particularly because military assistance is subject to federal appropriations and existing commitments. Whether the administration can complete the transition on Trump’s announced timeline remains unresolved, and officials have not released a comprehensive agreement detailing how current funding obligations would be handled.
For now, Netanyahu’s public response indicates that Israel’s leadership is prepared to support a different financial relationship with Washington while maintaining military and strategic cooperation. The central unanswered questions concern the timing of the funding cutoff, the treatment of existing weapons contracts and the form of any replacement partnership between the two governments.
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