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U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington will stop providing military aid to Israel after the end of this year under a deal he reached with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israel no longer needs it.
"Now, as far as paying Israel, Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping," Trump told Fox News’ "Fox & Friends."
"We’ve already agreed that by the end of this year we won’t be paying Israel. Now we’ll help Israel if they need it," he said.
Trump said Israel would have the option to buy whatever weapons it wants and that, if it did need the aid, he would keep it going.
Trump said some Democrats and left-wing politicians were using U.S. funding to Israel as a talking point to criticize Republicans.
He described Israel as a "helper" and called the relationship "tremendous."
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office.
In the same interview, held on Election Day in the U.S., Trump also addressed overnight strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island.
"They have no anti-aircraft. We took some out last night, just a minor attack. It wasn’t war," Trump said, referring to an air defense facility he said Iran had recently built. "As soon as it was completed, we hit it."
He said the U.S. was "not looking to kill tons of people" in Iran.
Asked about Iran after the midterm elections, Trump said, "We'll see."
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