‘Israeli’ president says he’s shocked by Trump’s ‘Israel’ aid announcement

• The existing US-’Israeli’ military aid agreement is scheduled to run until September 2028.
• Trump has announced plans to terminate approximately $4 billion in annual assistance by the end of 2026.
• ‘Israeli’ opposition figures have blamed Netanyahu's leadership for weakening bipartisan support for Israel in Washington.

‘Israeli’ president Isaac Herzog expressed shock Thursday over US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Washington intends to end its annual military assistance to ‘Israel’, describing the decision as a major surprise and warning that it underscores the urgency of forming a new government.

Herzog made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Yashar party, led by opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot, as political negotiations continue following ‘Israel’s’ Oct. 27 election.

“The issue of American aid worries me greatly, and it also fell on me like a bolt from the blue,” Herzog said, according to CNN. He noted that the existing memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Washington and Tel Aviv is supposed to remain in effect until 2028.

The ‘Israeli’ president also stressed the need to establish a government rather than plunge the country into another election, highlighting the importance of political stability amid uncertainty over the future of US-’Israeli’ relations.

Trump announced on Nov. 3 that the United States would end approximately $4 billion in annual assistance to ‘Israel’ by the end of 2026, claiming that the country no longer needed the funding. He also said he had reached an understanding with ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on ending the assistance, although neither leader has publicly provided details of such an agreement.

The announcement represents a potential acceleration of an existing US-’Israeli’ arrangement under which Washington provides $3.8 billion annually in military assistance through September 2028. The agreement allows ‘Israel’ to use the funding to purchase American military equipment.

US Ambassador to ‘Israel’ Mike Huckabee subsequently said he was seeking clarification about the proposed change. Defending the relationship, he argued that Americans should understand the benefits Washington receives from its partnership with ‘Israel’, rather than viewing it solely in terms of financial assistance.

The announcement has also intensified criticism of Netanyahu among ‘Israeli’ opposition figures, who have accused him of damaging 'Israel's' traditionally bipartisan support in Washington through his close alignment with Republicans.

Eisenkot previously criticized the ‘Israeli’ government for failing to communicate the potential change in the strategic relationship, arguing that learning about such a significant development through the media demonstrated the risks associated with Netanyahu's leadership.

The issue comes as ‘Israel’ faces a complicated political transition. Netanyahu's bloc failed to secure a parliamentary majority in the Oct. 27 election, while opposition forces have yet to establish a clear path to forming an alternative government.

Read more: Trump’s aid announcement sparks debate over US-’Israel’ defense cooperation