President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will end $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel at the end of this year. Speaking in a phone interview with Fox News as voting began on election day, Trump stated that the country does not need the payment.
The president said he reached a deal with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had approached him about the idea. Trump noted that the two have been talking about the move for a couple of years and that Israel is fine with the assistance ending. The funding began in 2019 and was originally signed by Barack Obama three years earlier. While the U.S. and Israel had discussed phasing out aid, these comments suggest the process could occur faster than expected.
Trump tied the decision to criticism from Democrats and left-wing politicians who used the funding as a talking point to criticize Republicans. He viewed the move as a way to neutralize election-year attacks regarding Washington's support for its ally. Meanwhile, US forces struck Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz, amid a political debate animated by military aid and campaign contributions from Israel's backers to US candidates.