U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States would end financial aid to Israel by the end of the year, saying he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reached an agreement on ending the payments months ago.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Fox News’ “Fox & Friends,” as Americans were voting in congressional midterm elections. He said the United States currently gives Israel $4 billion annually and that the two countries had agreed to end the assistance.

“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, and they’re fine with it,” Trump said.

Asked why the payments would end, Trump replied: “Because they don’t need it, Brian. I asked them. Bibi Netanyahu brought it up. He said, ‘I think it would be appropriate if we do not receive aid.’”

“They’ve become a very successful country. They don’t need it, and we won’t be paying Israel,” Trump continued. He added that the United States would still help Israel if necessary: “If they did need it, I would say keep it going.” He also praised Israel as “a great ally.”

Trump went on to describe the countries’ relationship as a “tremendous partnership,” saying, “We have a helper, and it’s Israel.” He also referred to the two countries’ “tremendous fighting force” and their ability to maintain “total control” of the Middle East.

The Israel Defense Forces and the Defense Ministry have yet to determine what Trump’s announcement means in practice. A military source told Haaretz that the IDF had not been informed of the developments.

“It’s not clear how you cancel an agreement like this through an announcement on social media,” the source said. “It seems that Defense Minister Israel Katz was also not involved in the decision and did not influence it, because even now the Defense Ministry cannot explain what it means.”

The announcement caught Israel’s defense and economic establishments completely by surprise. The current military aid agreement is not due to expire until the end of 2028, and talks with the Trump administration have so far focused on changing the agreement, not ending the assistance immediately.

Netanyahu had previously proposed ending the aid agreement, but envisioned a gradual reduction. Under that plan, the agreement would have been renewed in 2028, with assistance phased out over the following decade.

Moreover, a former senior security official questioned Netanyahu’s claims that Israel could end its dependence on U.S. assistance by expanding domestic arms production.

“Netanyahu simply isn’t telling the truth when he says we can produce everything ourselves,” the former official told Haaretz. While Israel is a technological power, he said, it lacks the industrial infrastructure, raw materials and workforce needed to achieve full independence in arms production.

“Every bomb contains components that come from different countries around the world. It isn’t economical to manufacture everything here. These factories could become white elephants,” he said.

Trump did not explain how the reported agreement with Netanyahu would affect the existing military assistance framework, or whether the two governments had reached a formal arrangement to end the payments before the current agreement expires.

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot also criticized Netanyahu over the announcement, saying that Israel’s security establishment had learned of the change in the country’s strategic relationship with the United States through the media, alongside the public.

“Israel’s special relationship with the United States is a central component of its national security,” Eisenkot wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The fact that the security establishment is learning, together with Israeli citizens, about a change in the strategic relationship through the media shows just how much Benjamin Netanyahu’s conduct is a real danger.”

Eisenkot said Netanyahu could no longer be trusted and must be replaced, accusing him of once again failing to tell Israelis the truth. He called on the prime minister to provide answers to the public “this evening.”

Democrats party chairman Yair Golan said the move would place the burden of financing Israel’s security needs entirely on the Israeli public.

“Ending American aid is a heavy blow to Israel’s security and the quality of life in the country, because financing security needs at such a critical time will fall solely on the Israeli public,” Golan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Opposition MK and Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Lieberman wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) following the announcement: “The cost of Trump’s support of Netanyahu — $3.8 billion a year.”

Netanyahu has previously spoken publicly about his intention to end Israel’s reliance on U.S. military assistance. In January, in an interview with The Economist, he said Israel should become independent of U.S. aid within a decade, arguing that the country had “matured” and developed its own capabilities, despite “greatly appreciat[ing]” the assistance it had received from Washington.

He also predicted that Israel’s economy would reach $1 trillion within a decade. In May, speaking to CBS’ “60 Minutes,” Netanyahu said he had raised the proposal with Trump and suggested beginning the phaseout immediately, with the aim of completing it over 10 years.

Israel currently receives $3.8 billion annually in U.S. security assistance under a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed in 2016 and covering fiscal years 2019 through 2028. The package includes $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing grants and $500 million for joint missile-defense programs.

The two governments began formal talks in May on a new security cooperation framework to replace the existing agreement. Israel’s Defense Ministry said at the time that the goal was to gradually transition from U.S. aid toward a more reciprocal partnership.