Trump says US will stop funding Israel by year-end after deal

US President Donald Trump announced that Washington will cease providing funding to Israel by the end of this year. He stated this decision follows a deal struck months ago with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The announcement came during an interview after voting in the midterm elections had begun.

Trump specified that the current arrangement involves providing four billion dollars annually to Israel. He claimed that he and Netanyahu agreed to stop these payments. The president noted that the United States would still help Israel if the country specifically needed assistance in the future.

When asked for the reason behind halting the aid, Trump said Israel does not need it. He added that he would allow continued payments only if there was a demonstrated necessity. It remains unclear what specific form of aid the president was discussing in his remarks.

The US State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. The Israeli Prime Minister's office has also yet to issue any statement regarding the alleged agreement. A memorandum providing military assistance is currently set to expire in 2028.

Military aid to Israel has become a significant political flashpoint for both Democrats and Republicans this year. Public criticism of Israel by US leaders marks a shift from decades of bipartisan backing. This change reflects growing tensions between US progressives and Israel over its war in Gaza.

In July, the House of Representatives defeated an amendment to cut off aid to Israel. The measure was offered by Republican Representative Thomas Massie and supported by nearly half of Democrats. The House voted 314 to 104 to defeat the proposal within the State Department spending bill.