Trump says U.S. aid to Israel will end this year under a deal with Netanyahu; Israeli finance officials say they knew of no such plan
Trump said on November 3, 2026 that U.S. aid to Israel, about $4 billion a year, ends this year under a deal with Netanyahu. The current agreement runs to 2028; Israeli opposition leaders objected, and Netanyahu's office called it a move to partnership.
Case period:
Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
On Fox & Friends on November 3, 2026, Trump said the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will be cut off at the end of the year under a deal he made with Netanyahu. The current aid agreement runs through 2028.
Read the full background
The United States gives Israel $3.8 billion a year in security aid under a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed during the Obama administration. ABC News reports that most of it, $3.3 billion, is Foreign Military Financing for U.S.-made weapons, that the agreement runs to the end of fiscal year 2028, and that Congress wrote its annual funding levels into the defense authorization law for fiscal 2021. Netanyahu has said he wants to phase out U.S. military aid and move toward joint investment.
On November 3, 2026, Election Day in the U.S. midterms, Trump called in to Fox News's Fox & Friends. Asked about Michigan Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who has campaigned against aid to Israel, Trump said he and Netanyahu had made a deal months ago to stop the $4 billion a year and that "by the end of this year, we won't be paying Israel." When co-host Brian Kilmeade asked him to clarify, he said the money "gets cut off at the end of the year" because Israel no longer needs it, and that Netanyahu had brought the idea up. He said the United States would still help Israel if it needed help.
Two Israeli Finance Ministry sources told ABC News they were surprised by the remarks. The Jerusalem Post reported that evening that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff had confirmed Trump misspoke, but chose not to correct him on Election Day. Opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan blamed Netanyahu, and President Isaac Herzog said on November 5 that the announcement came like a bolt from the blue.
On November 6, Netanyahu's office posted its first response on X. It described a move from aid to partnership and did not address Trump's timeline or his account of a deal.
People in this case
Donald TrumpDirectly involved
Benjamin NetanyahuDirectly involved
Isaac HerzogCommented
Yair GolanCommented
Timeline
5 timeline entries on this page. Dates: November 3, 2026 to November 6, 2026
November 2026
Trump tells Fox & Friends that U.S. aid to Israel will be cut off at the end of the year
Claim
On Election Day, Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago to stop the $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel, that Netanyahu brought it up, and that the payments end at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs them.
[01]Roll Call
Roll Call Factbase transcript of Trump's Election Day telephone interview on Fox News's Fox & Friends. Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago to stop the $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel, that the payments stop at the end of the year, and that Netanyahu brought the idea up. When Brian Kilmeade asks him to clarify, he says Israel no longer needs the money and names Abdul El-Sayed.
Transcript: Donald Trump calls in to Fox & Friends, November 3, 2026 · Roll Call00:06:58 to 00:07:43 and 00:18:52 to 00:21:40, remarks on aid to Israel[02]ABC News
ABC News reports Trump's Fox & Friends remarks, says two Israeli Finance Ministry sources expressed surprise at them, and explains that the current memorandum of understanding provides $3.8 billion a year through fiscal year 2028. It quotes a statement from opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and reports that Netanyahu had not yet commented.
Trump says $4 billion in Israel military aid will end this year, citing political reasons · ABC NewsFull articleIsraeli finance officials express surprise as opposition leaders blame Netanyahu
Reaction
Two Finance Ministry sources tell ABC News they were surprised and point to the agreement that runs to 2028. Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Golan say Netanyahu's handling of the change endangers Israel.
[02]ABC News
ABC News reports Trump's Fox & Friends remarks, says two Israeli Finance Ministry sources expressed surprise at them, and explains that the current memorandum of understanding provides $3.8 billion a year through fiscal year 2028. It quotes a statement from opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and reports that Netanyahu had not yet commented.
Trump says $4 billion in Israel military aid will end this year, citing political reasons · ABC NewsFull article[03]Yair Golan
Golan, leader of The Democrats party, writes in Hebrew that Israel's defense spending is at record levels and its air defenses have been worn down by a long war, that ending U.S. aid would do heavy damage to Israel's security and fall on the Israeli public, and that a responsible prime minister would fight to increase the aid.
Yair Golan's X post on the end of U.S. aid to Israel · Yair GolanFull post, November 3, 2026 (Hebrew)The Jerusalem Post reports that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff said Trump misspoke
The Jerusalem Post reports that officials in Israel's defense establishment and its foreign and finance ministries had no warning, and that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff confirmed Trump misspoke but did not want to correct it on Election Day.
[04]The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post writes that officials in Israel's defense establishment and its foreign and finance ministries were caught off guard by the announcement and had expected aid to run to the end of 2028. It reports that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff confirmed that Trump misspoke but chose not to correct it on Election Day, and that Netanyahu had not commented at press time.
What does Trump's earthquake announcement of end of aid to Israel mean? · The Jerusalem PostFull articlePresident Herzog says the announcement came like a bolt from the blue
Reaction
Herzog says the issue of American aid worries him greatly and that Israel's memorandum of understanding with the United States is supposed to last until 2028.
[05]Netanyahu responds to Trump decision to end US military aid
Kurdistan24 reports the November 6 statement by Netanyahu's office and says it did not address Trump's assertion that the two sides agreed to end the aid by the end of the year. It quotes Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who on Thursday described the announcement as coming like a bolt from the blue.
Netanyahu's office describes a move from aid to partnership
Reaction
In a post on X, Netanyahu's office says the move from aid to partnership shows the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship. It gives no timeline and does not address Trump's account of a deal.
[06]Prime Minister’s Office of Israel
Netanyahu's office writes that U.S. military aid to Israel has always had support from both parties, that Israel has used it to defend itself and to confront enemies of America and the West, and that the move from aid to partnership shows the strength of the relationship. The post includes a Fox News interview clip with Netanyahu's spokesman, Doron Spielman.
Prime Minister's Office of Israel X post on U.S. military aid · Prime Minister’s Office of IsraelFull post, November 6, 2026[07]Netanyahu responds to Trump aid cut three days late, English only
JFeed reports that the Prime Minister's Office issued its statement three days after Trump's interview and in English only, that it gave no timeline and did not dispute Trump's claim that the aid would end by the close of the year, and that Finance Ministry officials said they knew of no plan to cancel security aid immediately.
Claims
Claims separate what was said from what is contested. Follow each source for the original wording and context.
What's disputed
Disputed claim
Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
What is disputed
The current memorandum of understanding provides $3.8 billion a year through fiscal year 2028. Israeli Finance Ministry sources told ABC News they were surprised, and The Jerusalem Post reported that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff said Trump misspoke. Netanyahu's office later described a move from aid to partnership without giving a timeline.
Sources (2)
- Transcript: Donald Trump calls in to Fox & Friends, November 3, 2026 · Roll Call00:06:58 to 00:07:43 and 00:18:52 to 00:21:40, remarks on aid to Israel
- Trump says $4 billion in Israel military aid will end this year, citing political reasons · ABC NewsFull article
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
5 responses. Newest first.
Prime Minister’s Office of IsraelOffice of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a post on XBefore this statement
The office opens the post by saying U.S. military aid to Israel has always been a cross-the-aisle agreement and that Israel has used it both to defend itself and to confront enemies who threaten America and the West.
"Today, Israel has a strong and stable economy. The move by PM Netanyahu and President Trump from aid to partnership shows the strength and sophistication of our relationship, and its ability to adapt and stand strong over time."
Defended or excusedResponding to: Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
Full statement and sources
In its first public response, three days after Trump's interview, Netanyahu's office says U.S. military aid has always had support from both parties, that Israel has used it to defend itself and confront enemies of America and the West, and that the move from aid to partnership shows the strength of the relationship.
After the statement
JFeed reports that the statement was issued in English only, gave no timeline for when the aid would stop and did not dispute Trump's claim that it would end by the close of the year.
Prime Minister's Office of Israel X post on U.S. military aid · Prime Minister’s Office of IsraelFull post, November 6, 2026Why this label?
The reference point is Trump's announcement that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the end of 2026 under a deal with Netanyahu. The office presents the move from aid to partnership as a sign of the relationship's strength, which defends the change.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Isaac HerzogPresident of Israel, as quoted by Kurdistan24Before this statement
Kurdistan24 reports that Herzog described the announcement on Thursday as coming like a bolt from the blue.
"The issue of American aid worries me greatly, and this announcement struck me like a bolt from the blue."
CondemnedResponding to: Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
Full statement and sources
Israel's president says the issue of American aid worries him greatly, that the announcement struck him like a bolt from the blue, and that Israel has a memorandum of understanding with the United States that is supposed to last until 2028.
After the statement
He says Israel has a memorandum of understanding with the United States that is supposed to last until 2028, and that a government must be formed and repeated elections avoided.
Why this label?
The reference point is Trump's announcement that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the end of 2026 under a deal with Netanyahu. Herzog says the announcement worries him greatly and points to the agreement that runs to 2028, a negative assessment of the early end Trump announced.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Yair GolanLeader of The Democrats party, in a post on XBefore this statement
Golan writes that Israel's defense spending has reached enormous levels, that it needs to restock its offensive weapons and that its air defenses have been worn down by a long war, and that ending U.S. aid would do heavy damage to Israel's security because the cost would fall on the Israeli public.
"A responsible prime minister would fight to increase American aid, not eliminate it. Netanyahu is deepening the security and economic crisis and endangering Israel's future. (Translated from Hebrew. Original: ראש ממשלה אחראי היה נאבק להגדלת הסיוע האמריקאי, לא מחסל אותו. נתניהו מעמיק את המשבר הביטחוני והכלכלי ומסכן את עתידה של ישראל.)"
CondemnedResponding to: Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
Full statement and sources
Golan writes that ending U.S. aid would do heavy damage to Israel's security and to quality of life, because the cost of security would fall on the Israeli public, and that a responsible prime minister would fight to increase American aid rather than end it.
After the statement
This is the last sentence of the post.
Yair Golan's X post on the end of U.S. aid to Israel · Yair GolanFull post, November 3, 2026 (Hebrew)Why this label?
The reference point is Trump's announcement that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the end of 2026 under a deal with Netanyahu. Golan calls the end of U.S. aid heavy damage to Israel's security and blames Netanyahu for it, which condemns the arrangement.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Gadi EisenkotNetanyahu's main rival in the 2026 Knesset election, in a statement reported by ABC NewsBefore this statement
ABC News reports that Eisenkot responded to Trump's announcement in a statement on Tuesday evening, Israel time, saying that his country's "special relationship with the United States is a key component in its national security."
"The fact that the security establishment, along with Israeli citizens, is learning about a change in the strategic relationship framework through the media highlights just how much Benjamin Netanyahu's conduct poses a genuine danger"
CondemnedResponding to: Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
Full statement and sources
Eisenkot says the special relationship with the United States is a key part of Israel's national security, and that Israel's security establishment and citizens learning of a change in that relationship through the media shows the danger of Netanyahu's conduct.
After the statement
He adds: "We can no longer rely on him and must replace him." ABC News reports that he said Netanyahu must provide answers to Israeli citizens immediately.
Trump says $4 billion in Israel military aid will end this year, citing political reasons · ABC NewsFull articleWhy this label?
The reference point is Trump's announcement that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the end of 2026 under a deal with Netanyahu. Eisenkot criticizes how the change reached Israelis and says Israel can no longer rely on Netanyahu, which condemns the arrangement.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Dave McCormickU.S. senator from Pennsylvania, in an interview with Stuart Varney on Fox BusinessBefore this statement
Fox Business host Stuart Varney asks McCormick why the president is announcing an end to aid to Israel on the day of the election. McCormick first says Israel has been a great ally.
"There's been a discussion, quite public discussion for some time, about reducing U.S. aid to Israel and moving more towards a cooperative framework for defense cooperation. Prime Minister Netanyahu has talked about, the President has talked about that. So I don't know what the specifics of this announcement are, but it's very consistent with the direction that's been discussed for some time."
Defended or excusedResponding to: Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago, at Netanyahu's suggestion, that the roughly $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel will stop at the end of 2026 because Israel no longer needs it.
Full statement and sources
Asked on Fox Business why Trump announced an end to aid to Israel on Election Day, McCormick says reducing U.S. aid and moving to a cooperative defense framework has been discussed publicly for some time and that the announcement is consistent with that direction.
After the statement
Varney says it looks like Trump is pandering to anti-Israel sentiment in Congress. McCormick answers that the president's support for Israel is without question, that he guesses Trump and Netanyahu had a recent conversation, and that he does not know the specifics.
Aaron Rupar's Bluesky clip of Stuart Varney's Fox Business interview with Dave McCormick · Fox Business75-second clip, 0:00 to 1:15Why this label?
The reference point is Trump's announcement that U.S. aid to Israel will end at the end of 2026 under a deal with Netanyahu. McCormick says he does not know the specifics but calls the announcement consistent with a direction Netanyahu and Trump have discussed, which defends it.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(8)
Original text
Transcript: Donald Trump calls in to Fox & Friends, November 3, 2026
Relevant passage: 00:06:58 to 00:07:43 and 00:18:52 to 00:21:40, remarks on aid to Israel
About this source
Roll Call Factbase transcript of Trump's Election Day telephone interview on Fox News's Fox & Friends. Trump says he and Netanyahu agreed months ago to stop the $4 billion a year the United States gives Israel, that the payments stop at the end of the year, and that Netanyahu brought the idea up. When Brian Kilmeade asks him to clarify, he says Israel no longer needs the money and names Abdul El-Sayed.
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Aaron Rupar's Bluesky clip of Stuart Varney's Fox Business interview with Dave McCormick
Relevant passage: 75-second clip, 0:00 to 1:15
About this source
Aaron Rupar posted a Fox Business clip from the morning of November 3, 2026, in which host Stuart Varney asks Sen. Dave McCormick why Trump announced an end to aid to Israel on Election Day and whether he is pandering to anti-Israel sentiment in Congress, and McCormick answers.
- Author
- Aaron Rupar
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Netanyahu responds to Trump aid cut three days late, English only
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
JFeed reports that the Prime Minister's Office issued its statement three days after Trump's interview and in English only, that it gave no timeline and did not dispute Trump's claim that the aid would end by the close of the year, and that Finance Ministry officials said they knew of no plan to cancel security aid immediately.
- Author
- Eliana Fleming
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Prime Minister's Office of Israel X post on U.S. military aid
About this source
Netanyahu's office writes that U.S. military aid to Israel has always had support from both parties, that Israel has used it to defend itself and to confront enemies of America and the West, and that the move from aid to partnership shows the strength of the relationship. The post includes a Fox News interview clip with Netanyahu's spokesman, Doron Spielman.
- Author
- Prime Minister's Office of Israel
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Netanyahu responds to Trump decision to end US military aid
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
Kurdistan24 reports the November 6 statement by Netanyahu's office and says it did not address Trump's assertion that the two sides agreed to end the aid by the end of the year. It quotes Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who on Thursday described the announcement as coming like a bolt from the blue.
- Author
- Ahora Qadi
- Published
- Accessed
Original post
Yair Golan's X post on the end of U.S. aid to Israel
About this source
Golan, leader of The Democrats party, writes in Hebrew that Israel's defense spending is at record levels and its air defenses have been worn down by a long war, that ending U.S. aid would do heavy damage to Israel's security and fall on the Israeli public, and that a responsible prime minister would fight to increase the aid.
- Author
- Yair Golan
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
What does Trump's earthquake announcement of end of aid to Israel mean?
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
The Jerusalem Post writes that officials in Israel's defense establishment and its foreign and finance ministries were caught off guard by the announcement and had expected aid to run to the end of 2028. It reports that Netanyahu's and Trump's staff confirmed that Trump misspoke but chose not to correct it on Election Day, and that Netanyahu had not commented at press time.
- Author
- The Jerusalem Post
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Trump says $4 billion in Israel military aid will end this year, citing political reasons
Relevant passage: Full article
About this source
ABC News reports Trump's Fox & Friends remarks, says two Israeli Finance Ministry sources expressed surprise at them, and explains that the current memorandum of understanding provides $3.8 billion a year through fiscal year 2028. It quotes a statement from opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and reports that Netanyahu had not yet commented.
- Author
- Fritz Farrow
- Published
- Accessed
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- Title
- Trump says U.S. aid to Israel will end this year under a deal with Netanyahu; Israeli finance officials say they knew of no such plan
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- Last updated
- Permalink
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The Dispute Index. "Trump says U.S. aid to Israel will end this year under a deal with Netanyahu; Israeli finance officials say they knew of no such plan". First published: 2026-11-06. Last updated: 2026-11-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/trump-us-aid-israel-end-2026-netanyahu-deal