Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel can cover its own defense costs during the Group of Seven summit in France on Nov. 9, after President Donald Trump announced an end to the annual $4 billion U.S. military aid package. (Foto: Instagram)
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel can pay for its own defense after President Donald Trump announced that the United States would end its annual $4 billion military aid package. The amount is equivalent to about 22 billion Brazilian reais. Rubio made the remarks Monday, Nov. 9, during the Group of Seven summit in France.
“They can buy weapons from us, but we no longer need to provide the funding,” Rubio told reporters when asked about the decision. He described Israel as a prosperous, wealthy country capable of covering its own defense costs.
Trump announced the end of the military financing last week. At the time, he said the agreement had been used by the Democratic Party as an election issue ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, in which Trump’s party suffered a defeat.
The United States and Israel have had a multibillion-dollar funding agreement in place since 2019. Israel uses much of the assistance to buy weapons, primarily from the United States. The agreement had been expected to remain in effect through 2028.
