Media: Netanyahu aims to end US military aid within decade

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced his intention to phase out US military aid to Israel within the next ten years, a move praised by a prominent ally of President Donald Trump amid growing skepticism among MAGA voters about funding for Jerusalem.

“I want to taper off the military aid within the next 10 years,” Netanyahu told The Economist in an interview. When asked whether he meant “to taper it off to zero,” Netanyahu confirmed that he did.

Under the current military aid package negotiated in 2016, Israel receives approximately $3.8 billion annually from the United States, primarily as subsidies to purchase American-made weapons. The package, which came into effect in 2018, is scheduled to expire in 2028. Netanyahu indicated that he does not intend to pursue a full renewal.

“We want to be as independent as possible,” he said. Referring to a meeting with President Trump in Florida last month, Netanyahu added: “In my visit to President Trump, I said we very deeply appreciate the military aid that America has given us over the years, but here too we’ve come of age, and we’ve developed incredible capacities.”

US Senator Lindsey Graham, a key Republican ally of Trump and chairman of a Senate subcommittee overseeing military aid, welcomed Netanyahu’s stance and indicated he would propose accelerating the phase-out.

“The aid we have provided to Israel has been a great investment keeping the IDF strong, sharing technology and making their military more capable — to the benefit of the United States,” Graham wrote on X. “Apparently, there is a desire by Israel to change that dynamic because they have a roaring economy. I will always appreciate allies who are trying to be more self-sufficient and believe that, given what the Prime Minister said, we need not wait ten years.”

Graham added that ending US aid for Israel could save American taxpayers billions of dollars that could then be reinvested in the US military. “I will be presenting a proposal to Israel and the Trump administration to dramatically expedite the timetable,” he said.

Discussions over the next US military aid package reportedly began in November, following delays caused by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Israel had been considering not only renewing the package but potentially extending it to 20 years. However, discussions have been complicated by increasing isolationism within Trump’s voter base. Netanyahu has denied these reports, reiterating in The Economist interview that he believes “it’s time to ensure that Israel is independent.”

The United States has provided annual military assistance to Israel and Egypt since the 1979 US-brokered peace treaty. While US aid historically represented a substantial portion of Israel’s defence budget, its share has declined as Israel’s economy has strengthened.

Israel’s Defence Ministry budget alone reached a record NIS 110 billion ($29 billion) in 2025, out of a total defence budget of NIS 136 billion ($36.9 billion). Netanyahu’s push to end aid has been partly motivated by frustrations during the Gaza war, when several allies, including the Biden administration, delayed arms transfers to Israel.

By Vafa Guliyeva