Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed in a “60 Minutes” interview that he wants to begin weaning Israel off American foreign aid.
While he did not go into specifics, Netanyahu said he has already discussed the plan with President Trump and is looking at a timeline that would gradually reduce reliance on U.S. assistance over the next decade. He added, however, that he wants to begin the process immediately rather than wait for Congress to take action.
🚨 IT’S OFFICIAL: PM Netanyahu announces he plans to END Israel’s reliance on U.S. foreign aid
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) May 10, 2026
“I've said this to President Trump. I've said it to our own people. Their jaws dropped, but I said I want to draw down to zero the American financial support, the financial component… pic.twitter.com/bv7TXQIPQB
BREAKING: Israel's President Netanyahu says he wants US financial support to Israel to "draw down to zero." pic.twitter.com/IPnTXAVC3B
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) May 10, 2026
"Do you believe it's time for the state of Israel to reexamine and possibly reset its financial relationship to the United States, meaning what the United States provides to Israel on an annual basis?" CBS News' Major Garrett asked.
"Absolutely. And I've said this to President Trump, I've said it to our own people. Their jaws dropped," Netanyahu said.
But I said, look. What do you mean? What are you saying? I want to draw down to zero the American financial support, the financial component of the military cooperation that we have, because we receive $3.8 billion a year. And I think that it's time that we weaned ourselves from the remaining military support.
"Can you give me a timetable?" Garrett asked.
"I said, let's start now and do it over the next decade, over the next 10 years. But I want to start now. I don't want to wait for the next Congress. I want to start now. And you know, it could go down very fast," the prime minister added.
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This comes as progressives and other critics of Israel have slammed the United States for funding what they describe as a genocidal operation in Gaza and a war of aggression against Iran. Supporters of the alliance, however, argue that American aid to Israel serves a far greater strategic purpose than billions funneled into yet another government welfare program.
Still, the move signals a shift away from reliance on Washington, potentially allowing Israel to act more independently without waiting for U.S. approval, something that could prove critical if Democrats regain power in the coming years. It remains unclear what broader consequences the shift could bring, though Netanyahu appeared optimistic about the future of the Middle East.
A new Middle East is on the horizon. https://t.co/kOQ8db5p7e
— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) May 11, 2026
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