Trump says he will end annual $4 billion military aid to Israel, citing electoral concerns

US President Donald Trump said in a telephone interview with Fox News on Tuesday that he would end the annual $4 billion in military aid to Israel, according to a report by The Intercept. Trump made the remark while discussing opposition to US assistance to Israel, specifically mentioning El-Sayed and saying the issue was being used to portray the funding as unfair. "The left uses the $4 billion payment — that everybody knows about, it's no secret — as a signal of unfairness," Trump said. The Intercept reported on the remarks with the headline, "Trump scrambles to halt military aid to Israel to deprive El-Sayed of a talking point." Trump also sought to frame the announcement differently, stating, "Look, we give them $4 billion of things and money, and they don't need it." He further claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had approached him about ending the arrangement years ago and that the two had discussed it for a couple of years.

The announcement came on Election Day, though Trump did not explain why he chose that moment to make the claim. Observers have pointed to the Republicans' unfavorable chances in the midterms amid the unpopularity of the United States' military action against Iran, which has disrupted global energy markets after Tehran's retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz. They have cited Trump's announcement as an attempt to improve the Republicans' electoral prospects against the Democrats.

An August Fox News poll found that 55 percent of Michigan voters opposed continued military aid to Israel, including 70 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of independents. A February Gallup poll also found that sympathy for Israel among Americans had fallen to 36 percent, while sympathy for Palestinians had risen to 41 percent.

According to Mehr News, the report by The Intercept added that Trump's move was seen as an effort to counter criticism from El-Sayed and others regarding US funding for Israel.