Kenneth Glad
When a government hands out billions in foreign support, the money rarely stops overnight. Decades of diplomatic ties and defense deals usually keep the funds flowing across borders. Now, that predictability is going to vanish.
President Donald Trump announced earlier today that the United States will halt its financial support for Israel. The changes take effect at the end of the year. He made his position clear.
The news surfaced during an Election Day interview broadcast on Fox News. Currently, Washington sends roughly $3.8 billion to the Middle Eastern ally annually.
That agreement was supposed to last until 2028. Now, the administration plans to cut the funding early because Israeli forces simply have enough cash. It marks a stunning reversal.
A sudden shift
“It’s a bad talking point because when you say, ‘Why don’t we give everybody $4 billion?’ Israel’s our number one; we give them more than anybody else, and they no longer need it,” Trump told the network.
The payments create a massive political headache at home. The president pointed to Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate in Michigan, as a primary example. Republicans should not face constant attacks over foreign assistance.
This major policy shift did not happen in a complete vacuum. In fact, Trump insisted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu actually brought up the idea first. The two men have discussed the issue quietly.
Quiet talks revealed
The two leaders spoke on Saturday, writes CNN, though neither side confirmed the details. Still, the American president described a solid mutual understanding.
“You can consider it barter. You can consider military aid or cash. What we give them, $4 billion of things and money, and they don’t need it. And I was approached by Bibi Netanyahu, and we’ve been talking about it for a couple of years because it’s a lot of money,” Trump explained.
Buying power remains
Netanyahu hinted at this exact outcome during a recent appearance on Israeli television. The prime minister warned his citizens to prepare for a future without massive American defense grants. Change is coming fast.
“If you think we’re going to continue receiving what I secured twice, tens of billions of dollars in American aid for the defense budget, get used to the fact that we won’t,” he stated.
The weapons flow will not stop. Instead of using free assistance, the nation will purchase its own military hardware. CNN reports they remain free to buy what they need.
