Eu Day Light

US President Donald Trump announced that approximately $4 billion in annual military assistance to Israel would end by the close of the year.

According to CCTV, Trump said in an interview with a US-based media outlet that assistance to Israel would be cut off at the end of the year, explaining that the support included military equipment as well as financial aid. Trump described the assistance as military aid, cash and barter arrangements.

Trump stated that he had discussed ending the assistance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for years, adding that Netanyahu himself had also raised the idea. Arguing that Israel no longer needed this assistance, Trump noted that the United States provided Israel with more support than it did other countries.

An Israeli official stated that the Prime Minister's Office had not yet issued any official document on the matter. Some government departments were reportedly surprised by the decision and concerned about its potential consequences.

Israeli defense institutions were also reported to lack clear information regarding the scope of Trump's statements, the timetable for implementing the decision and whether it signaled a change in security relations between the two countries.

Under the existing 10-year US-Israel security assistance agreement, Washington provides Israel with approximately $3.8 billion annually. The agreement is expected to remain in effect through 2028.