Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly proposed ending direct US military aid to Israel over the next decade during talks with President Donald Trump.
Key facts
- •Netanyahu proposed a 10-year phase-out of direct US military aid during a 90-minute meeting with President Trump.
- •The proposal suggests transitioning to joint defense development projects rather than direct financial grants.
- •The US has provided Israel with roughly $174 billion in cumulative assistance through May 2025.
- •Current military aid is provided under a 2016 agreement totaling $38 billion for the 2019-2028 period.
- •The White House has not yet provided a comment on the reported proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu proposed a gradual end to direct US military aid to Israel within 10 years during a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. According to reports from Israel's public broadcaster KAN, the two leaders discussed shifting the focus of the bilateral relationship from direct financial assistance to joint defense development projects, particularly regarding missile defense.
By the numbers
Proposed Shift in Defense Cooperation
Under the proposal, the countries would phase out direct financial aid while maintaining cooperation on missile defense programs. Netanyahu has previously expressed a desire to reduce Israel's reliance on US military financing in interviews with The Economist in January and CBS’s 60 Minutes in May.
Current US Assistance Framework
Israel is the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II, having received approximately $174 billion in bilateral and missile defense funding through May 2025. Current aid is governed by a 2016 memorandum of understanding covering fiscal years 2019-2028, which includes $38 billion in total support.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Daily Sabah.
