Israel is seeking a new U.S. military assistance pact before a new Congress takes office in January 2027, with a reported plan to extend direct aid before ending it.
Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israel wants to finalize negotiations before the incoming Congress begins its term. Their account describes proposed terms, not an agreement already signed.
Under the reported plan, direct military assistance would continue for five years after the existing agreement expires in 2028, then stop. The outlets said that structure would reduce the total direct-aid package by roughly half. U.S. funding for joint air and missile-defense development would also rise, but the report gave no amount.
The 2016 U.S.-Israel memorandum of understanding calls for $3.8 billion in annual assistance through 2028. State Department material breaks that down into $3.3 billion for Foreign Military Financing and $500 million for cooperative missile-defense programs.
President Donald Trump said in a Nov. 3 Fox & Friends interview that he wanted annual U.S. assistance to end by the close of 2026, while commercial purchases of American weapons could continue. He described the annual amount as about $4 billion, compared with the memorandum’s $3.8 billion.
The Congressional Research Service says U.S. military assistance largely pays for equipment bought from American defense firms. It also says Israel may continue to depend on U.S. systems and supply chains. If direct aid ends, the service says Israel could use its own funds for American equipment, turn to other suppliers or expand production at home.
Trump’s announced cutoff precedes the memorandum’s 2028 end date. EconoTimes has previously reported on Congress’ role in the timing of the aid pledge. Israel’s reported target is to conclude negotiations before the new Congress takes office in January 2027.
