President Donald Trump said Tuesday that U.S. aid to Israel would end at the close of the year, arguing that the country no longer needs the assistance and can purchase its own weapons.
"We were giving them $4 billion – we are – but it gets cut off at the end of the year," Trump told "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday morning in an Election Day morning announcement.
Trump said the support included "things and money," and described it as military aid, cash or "barter." He said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had discussed ending the assistance for years, adding that Netanyahu raised the idea.
"They don’t need it," Trump said. "Israel is a very thriving country."
The current U.S.-Israel security assistance agreement provides about $3.8 billion annually through 2028. Netanyahu has previously said he wants to phase out Israel’s reliance on U.S. military aid, though the timing and terms of any change to the agreement have not been detailed in the remarks provided.
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