Netanyahu Contradicts Trump on Israel Aid: Gradual Phase-Out, Not 2026 End
Netanyahu's office says Israel will phase out US military aid gradually over a decade, contradicting Trump's claim the $4 billion a year ends in 2026.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. State Department (public domain)
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 — The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Israel will move off American military aid “gradually”, directly contradicting President Donald Trump’s declaration that the roughly $4 billion a year in United States assistance ends by the close of 2026.
The prime minister’s office said Netanyahu had outlined the direction as early as May, when he told CBS’s 60 Minutes: “I want to gradually reduce American financial aid to zero.” The office added that he has talked about doing so over the next decade — not at the end of this year.
Key Takeaways
- Trump said on November 3 that he and Netanyahu agreed months ago to end about $4 billion a year in aid by the end of 2026.
- Netanyahu’s office said on November 11 that Israel will “phase out” the aid gradually, over roughly a decade.
- The 2016 memorandum provides $3.8 billion a year and runs until the end of September 2028.
- Congress appropriates the money annually, so no cutoff can take effect without lawmakers.
How Much US Military Aid Does Israel Receive Each Year?
Trump put the figure at about $4 billion a year when he telephoned Fox News’s Fox & Friends on November 3. “As far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal — we give Israel $4 billion a year — we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” he said. “They don’t need it. And we won’t be paying anymore, Israel.”
The formal framework says something different. The memorandum signed in 2016 commits the United States to $38 billion over fiscal years 2019 to 2028, or $3.8 billion a year: $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and about $500 million for missile defence.
When Does the US-Israel Military Aid Agreement Expire?
The agreement does not expire until the end of September 2028, and Congress must pass annual appropriations bills to release the funds. No Israeli government statement or congressional document has been published confirming the arrangement Trump described.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio backed Trump’s timeline, saying the president believes Israel is “rich enough” to buy American weapons without relying on military aid. Rubio has also said there has been no breakthrough in talks with Iran.
What Happens to Israel Aid in 2027 and Beyond?
In its first statement since Trump spoke, on November 6, the prime minister’s office said it views the decision as a shift from military aid to “partnership”, with spokesman Doron Spielman calling it “the correct transition out from aid towards partnership and mutual investment.”
The dispute lands as aid to Israel has become a politically charged issue in the United States, with Democrats winning control of Congress in last week’s midterm elections. It comes as Trump pursues direct diplomacy in the region, including a meeting with Qatar’s prime minister on Iran ceasefire mediation. The prime minister’s office has not said when the gradual phase-out would be complete.
| Item | Trump | Netanyahu | Agreement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual amount | About $4 billion | $3.8 billion | $3.8 billion a year |
| End date | End of 2026 | Over a decade | September 2028 |
| Decided by | Claimed deal | PMO statement | Congress, annually |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the US ending military aid to Israel in 2026?
President Donald Trump says the roughly $4 billion a year will stop by the end of 2026. Netanyahu’s office says the move will be gradual, over about a decade. The 2016 memorandum runs until September 2028, so no cutoff is settled.
How much money does the US give Israel every year?
The 2016 memorandum provides $3.8 billion a year — $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing and about $500 million for missile defence — for a total of $38 billion over fiscal years 2019 to 2028. Trump cites about $4 billion a year.
When does the US-Israel military aid agreement expire?
The memorandum of understanding signed in 2016 expires at the end of September 2028. Any change before then would need Congress to alter the annual appropriations that release the funds.
Will Israel still be able to buy American weapons?
Yes. Trump said the United States would still help Israel if it needed it, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel is wealthy enough to buy American weapons outright. The disagreement is over the annual grants, not over arms sales.
The next step belongs to Congress, which must pass the annual appropriations bills that release the aid. Neither government has published a timetable for the phase-out.
