Israel has placed billions of dollars in additional military equipment orders with the United States that surpass the funding committed under its existing bilateral defense aid agreement, according to a report published Thursday by The Wall Street Journal.
According to the report, Israel will require roughly $10 billion in supplementary funding to cover outstanding orders after 2028, when the current U.S. military aid deal is set to expire. This figure underscores the substantial financial complexities of President Donald Trump’s stated plan to terminate the military assistance.
The data was drawn from a U.S. State Department document submitted to Congress, which the newspaper obtained. It details outstanding procurement commitments as of April 1, though the exact total remains unconfirmed as of later dates.
The United States has already pledged nearly $7 billion in military assistance over the next two years. Nevertheless, even after those funds are disbursed, a significant portion of existing orders would still remain unfunded.
This disclosure follows Trump’s Tuesday announcement that he intends to discontinue U.S. aid to Israel. The Jerusalem Post reported that the remarks caught Israeli officials—including the defense establishment—off guard, despite months of diplomatic discussions about gradually reducing American support.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously proposed phasing out direct U.S. military aid over a decade.
Israel remains the world’s largest recipient of American military aid. Under the current agreement, established during the Obama administration and set to remain valid until 2028, Israel receives roughly $3.3 billion annually to acquire U.S.-made weapons systems, including bombs, vehicles, fighter jets, and other equipment.
The agreement permits Israel to place orders using pledged future funds before they are actually transferred.
In 2024, Congress approved an additional aid package valued at approximately $26 billion amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack.
However, according to a letter sent by the State Department to the office of Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas, Israel still faces roughly $10 billion in outstanding equipment purchases once the initial aid commitments are exhausted.
The letter indicated that this remaining amount could be financed through additional U.S. military assistance, Israel’s own budgetary resources, or a combination of both.
“Even if the aid agreement continues through its expiration in 2028, there will still be $10 billion beyond that, and the question is who will pay for it,” Castro told the newspaper.
The State Department declined to respond to a request for comment.
US may shift aid to Israel toward joint development of military technologies
Based on Congressional Research Service figures, the United States provided Israel with approximately $174 billion in cumulative military assistance between the country’s founding in 1948 and May 2025, without adjusting for inflation.
Alongside deliberations regarding the cessation of direct military aid, U.S. lawmakers are advancing legislation that would redirect emphasis from traditional military grants toward defense investments and the joint development and production of military technologies.
The proposal is expected to be incorporated into the annual U.S. defense policy bill, which is scheduled for finalization by year’s end.
Supporters argue that the proposed legislation would facilitate greater Pentagon cooperation with Israel on military procurement and technological development, building upon prior successes such as the Iron Dome air defense system, which was developed in partnership with American firms.
Critics, however, warn that the approach would further integrate Israel into the Pentagon’s supply chains and defense programs, making it more difficult for a future Congress to scale back military cooperation.
Even a transition to a joint production model would not immediately resolve Israel’s immediate defense needs.
Israel remains heavily reliant on a steady supply of American weapons, including the thousands of bombs Washington has supplied during recent conflicts. Future commitments also include Israel’s planned purchase of a squadron of 25 advanced F-35 fighter jets.
Ending U.S. military assistance could compel Israel to significantly increase its defense budget. Despite receiving American aid, Israel already spends roughly 7% of its gross domestic product on defense—a higher proportion than any NATO member state.
US political divisions complicate future military assistance to Israel
The debate surrounding the future of American aid occurs amid declining support for Israel in both major U.S. political parties, following years of conflict in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as this year’s joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.
The issue also dominated discussions during Tuesday’s congressional midterm elections, where Republicans suffered significant electoral losses.
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X/Twitter that the war with Iran and relations with Israel were among the primary reasons voters had turned away from the Republican Party.
Trump himself argued that terminating direct aid to Israel could deprive Democratic critics of a prominent campaign issue. He specifically referenced Abdul El-Sayed, who won Michigan and will become the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Senate. During his campaign, El-Sayed called for an end to unconditional American aid to Israel.
Beyond budgetary concerns, ending military assistance would also require accounting for longstanding U.S. commitments.
American law requires the administration to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge over potential adversaries; reducing aid could make it more difficult to fulfill that obligation.
Despite Trump’s statements, current and former U.S. officials believe an immediate termination of military assistance is unlikely.
“It’s inconceivable that we would stop by the end of the year,” Josh Paul, a former senior State Department official who resigned during the Biden administration in protest against U.S. support for the war in Gaza, told the newspaper.
Paul noted that existing budgetary commitments already approved by Congress would prevent such a move in the short term.
“We still haven’t seen anything that substantiates that possibility,” Paul added, personally supporting an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel.
